Chelmsford - Is this all there is?

Chelmsford - Essex

-

UK

A lovely sunny day and we just need to stop somewhere on the A12 for a late breakfast coffee.  So we stop at the Wild Bean Cafe at the BP petrol station there.  As petrol stations go this one is not the worst.  In an effort to increase the all important market share petrol stations have been vying with one another to increase the quantity of goods on sale. This one sells food, papers and mags, flowers, coal, car accessories and has a little café – where the coffee is OK. And my husband

Mike

would also like to vouch for the general yumminess of the biscuits.

However I would like to ask the question; “Why can’t these service stations be better designed?”  And who decides on the use of space?  There was a lot of unexciting grass verge. But would it be so expensive to create a small eating out area?  Could there not be some better landscaping?  In the end we had to drink our coffee sitting in the front seat of the car?  Couldn’t the loos be nicer – just a bit brighter and a bit cleaner?  I’m sure they would sell more if the place was more attractive to linger in.  And lastly why is the station not linked by cycle and pedestrian routes back into the town? Don’t locals need car accessories too?

When we were in

Finland

we noticed that in the lonely north, where settlements are very sparse and spread out that the gas station had become the centre of the community.  People would walk there to get their daily papers.  The café was full of happy locals and they sold souvenirs of the region as well.  (They do this in

France

too by the way)  But the main difference was that the place was clean and well landscaped and looked distinctive.

I suspect that it has something to do with our high wages.  If  someone from BP or the Wild Bean would like to comment that would be great…and if you have been to an exceptionally good petrol station recently do tell all.

http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=2001318