Folkestone & Hythe M20 Service Station Opens for Business

Westernhanger Motorway Service Station at junction 11 of the M20 opened this week. The "Stop 24" service station is billed as the largest service area in the UK, and has been designed as a waiting area for those awaiting channel crossings via the Channel Tunnel and Dover.

WHSMith, KFC, Burger King, EAT and Muffin Break units are already open, with Starbucks and Shell due to open in the next few days. Other units to include a tourist destination centre for Port Lympne and Shepway are yet to open. An adjacent 80 bedroom "Days Inn" hotel will be built in 2008.

Folkestone Councillor Tim Prater visited the station in its opening week. He said:

"This impressive facility is already providing jobs to local people and providing a useful service to visitors to our area. I hope that the proposed new visitor information centre for Port Lympne can be opened soon, and that it will also provide tourist information for other attractions in Folkestone and Shepway.

"It was however a little disappointing at the tourist information touch screen panel to be able to learn more about Lands End, but nothing about Folkestone! I hope that Stop 24 will be able to offer much more information about our area soon, and encourage visitors to spend more time see the local sights. "