Viewing source of page 'Folkestone'

You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reason:

You don't have the necessary permissions. If you want to edit a page, upload a photo or post to a talk page, you need to register. For anything else please contact an administrator.

You can view and copy the source of this page.

{{Services
|type = motorway
|image = Folkestone 2025.jpg
|operator = ChannelPorts
|operator2 = Roadchef
|road = [[M20]] at J11{{newline}}(also accessible to traffic on the A20 and the B2068)
|postcode = CT21 4BL
|signposted = Yes
|stype = Single site located at a junction
|rating = Folkestone
|coords = 51.094911, 1.044466
|briefroad = M20 at J11
|markerpost = 102 }}

The last service station in England: Folkestone is located just minutes from the Eurotunnel and not much further from the Port of Dover. It calls itself the 'Port Early Arrival Facility', meaning that anyone early for their ship or a train can stop by and rest before heading onwards.

==Facilities==
{{facilities| Catering | The Breakfast Club, Curried Away, Don Air Pizza & Kebabs, {{KFC}}, Noodle Stop, {{Subway}}, {{Costa Express}}, {{Krispy Kreme}}, {{Costa Coffee|drivethru=yes}}, {{McDonald's|drivethru=yes}} }}
{{facilities| Shops | {{WHSmith}} }}
{{facilities| Amenities | ChannelPorts Inland Border Facility,  {{Changing Places}},  Coach Interchange, Ferry Timetables, Free Cash Machines, Harbour Shipping (Bureau de Change), {{Jackpot £500}}, {{Revolution Laundry}}, Showers }}
{{facilities| Outdoor Space | Picnic tables at front and side of building; grass verges only; public footpath connections }}
{{facilities| Charging Points | GRIDSERVE Electric Highway 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO & 22kW Type 2; IONITY 350kW CCS }}
{{facilities| Forecourt | {{Shell}}, {{Select}}, {{deli by Shell}}, {{Costa Express}}, Free Cash Machine }}

==Parking Prices==
First 2 hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £10, caravans and motorhomes must pay £20, and HGVs must pay £29 which includes a £6 food voucher.

Prices are paid using the self-service pay points located throughout the amenity building.

The fees are strictly enforced by ChannelPorts and are monitored by ANPR cameras.

{{Parking Disclaimer}}

==Contact Details==
{{Contact Details
|address = Stop 24 Services{{newline}}
Stanford Intersection{{newline}}
Hythe{{newline}}
Kent{{newline}}
CT21 4BL
|telephone = 01303 268671
|websites = 
* [https://folkestoneservices.com Official ChannelPorts/Folkestone website]
* [https://www.roadchef.com/motorway-services/folkestone Costa Coffee Drive Thru, Jackpot £500, McDonald's Drive Thru and WHSmith operated by Roadchef]
* [https://find.shell.com/gb/fuel/10367538/ Forecourt operated by Shell]
|3words = puff.pigment.salary
|foursquare = 4b790c36f964a52000ea2ee3 }}

==Trivia and Design==
{{fulldetails|History:Folkestone}}
Folkestone is the UK's most easterly motorway service area, but [[Exeter]] is more southern. As Folkestone is at the first exit after the Channel Tunnel, the series of roundabouts within the service area forms the first challenge for drivers of foreign-registered vehicles.

Folkestone is a very unusual motorway service area precisely because it is the only one in England not to have any sister sites elsewhere in the country. It consists of a large building which is managed like a shopping centre, with individual units leased out to interested firms. For example, the [[KFC]] is operated by Caskade.

For many years the building was characterised by its high turnover of retail units, leading to it being labelled "[[History:Folkestone#Operation|a commercial failure]]". It's now owned by a Getlink company, who also operate the Eurotunnel. Their lawyers have described the complex as mainly "lesser brands and local operators", leading to "a poor public perception".

Shell demolished their car wash in 2020 to make way for four IONITY electric vehicle charging points. GRIDSERVE also installed three electric vehicle charging points in the main car park in late 2021.

Taco Bell later opened on 18 January 2023 in a vacant unit next to the noodle bar.

===Roadchef Reboot===
[[File:McDonalds Folkestone 2025.jpg|250px|thumb|right|alt=A McDonald's unit.|One of a number of new units from Roadchef in the amenity building.]]
Major changes took place in January 2025. The 'Stop 24' branding, used since the site opened, was retired and replaced by generic 'Folkestone services' signage, with reminders that it's now owned by ChannelPorts. [[Roadchef]], who also operate the [[Maidstone|nearest service area]], opened a [[Costa Drive Thru]], [[Jackpot £500]] gaming area and [[WHSmith]] here on 22 January 2025. A [[McDonald's Drive Thru]] then followed on 28 January, bringing a new well-known brand to the site for the first time in a number of years.

This is the first time Roadchef have leased units in this way, with them placing some of their own branding on the front of the building. Costa utilises the vacant unit previously occupied by West Cornwall Pasty whilst the McDonald's and WHSmith units replaces the former Hythe Convenience Store. Both new drive thrus required new drive thru lanes to be added to the front of the main building. It's the second time WHSmith has been available in this building.

As well as Roadchef's offerings, new site owner ChannelPorts have upgraded the showers and opened a lounge and fitness centre for HGV drivers. The Café unit also rebranded to The Breakfast Club, with Don Air Kebabs receiving a new fascia in the process, whilst the [[Chopstix Noodle Bar]] branding has been dropped and the unit is now simply called 'Noodle Stop'.

Works are also currently underway by Roadchef to add new high-powered electric vehicle charging points to the main car park, whilst the former Taco Bell unit is set to be replaced by an [[El Mexicana]] and Don Churro unit {{current|before Easter 2025}}.

==Alternatives==
{{Succession start}}
{{Succession|1|M20| [[Maidstone]] (23 miles) |
none }}
</table>

{{bottomnav}}
[[Category:2000s]][[Category:M20]][[Category:M20 (England)]][[Category:A20]]

Templates used on this page:

Template:Bottomnav (view source)
Template:Changing Places (view source)
Template:Contact Details (view source) (protected)
Template:Costa Coffee (view source)
Template:Costa Drive Thru (view source)
Template:Costa Express (view source)
Template:Current (view source)
Template:Deli by Shell (view source)
Template:Facilities (view source) (protected)
Template:Fulldetails (view source)
Template:Ifexist (view source)
Template:Jackpot £500 (view source)
Template:KFC (view source)
Template:Krispy Kreme (view source)
Template:McDonald's (view source)
Template:McDonald's Drive Thru (view source)
Template:Newline (view source) (protected)
Template:Operator Colours (view source) (protected)
Template:Parking Disclaimer (view source)
Template:Revolution Laundry (view source)
Template:Select (view source)
Template:Services (view source) (protected)
Template:Services bg (view source)
Template:Shell (view source)
Template:Subway (view source)
Template:Succession (view source) (protected)
Template:Succession start (view source) (protected)
Template:WHSmith (view source)

Return to Folkestone.