An oasis on the motorway

**standfirst**

Designed as a cathedral to food, the new Gloucester services on the southbound M5 are the complete opposite to big-brand motorway fuel stops. “Could they revolutionise motorway services’ design?” asks Alison Harmer.

**body copy**

At a stunning rural location flanking the Cotswolds, there’s an oasis on the UK’s motorway network that offers a radical approach to motorway service area (MSA) design and is setting a new sustainable standard.

Gloucester Services southbound opened on 19 May, between junctions 12 and 11a of the M5, a year after its sister site was completed on the northbound carriageway.