# Stop 24 - Folkstone - Warning



## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

Hi

We're just back from 10 days in France. On the way out we stopped over-night at the 'Stop 24' on the M20 just short of the Tunnel. I had e-mailed the company the reply said we could overnight at the services and even said we could park in the coach lanes. You phone the number on the signs and pay £5 by Debit/Credit card.

On loo's. Another motorhome was parked next to us.

A gentlemen from Shearings approached us and said if we parked there we would be clamped and towed away. He also took a photo of our number plates.

He would not listen to me or read the e-mail I had that indicated we did have permission. We used the Loo's and departed.

There must be 45-50 spaces and not one was occupied.

So be aware.

Keith

Edit:

He also said he had phoned the clamping company and they were on their way.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

What did the Stop 24 people say to this ? £5 is considerably less than they used to charge so it is worth pursuing this as many of us would use it at that price.

I'd also write to Shearings, giving the time and as much detail about the coach as you remember, and ask them to tell their driver that threatening the public is not a good thing and none of their business anyway.

G


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

Grizzly said:


> What did the Stop 24 people say to this ? £5 is considerably less than they used to charge so it is worth pursuing this as many of us would use it at that price.
> 
> I'd also write to Shearings, giving the time and as much detail about the coach as you remember, and ask them to tell their driver that threatening the public is not a good thing and none of their business anyway.
> 
> G


There are no Stop 24 managment and no offices I could find. I found their e-mail address on the web site.

The Shearings gentleman was based there, I think. The coach park was complete empty.

To add there is very limited parking in the main car park for caravans. Our van doesn't fit in the parking spaces and caravans I saw there were parked at right angles taking about 6 spaces.

Keith


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## phil4francoise (Jun 21, 2008)

Typical I am afraid of the UK Does it not P*** you *** .Having just returned back from France which is so M/H friendly it really gets up your nose and you just want to turn around and get on the next ferry back


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

If you had evidence that you could park in the coach park for £5 you should have stayed and done as above anyway.

the world is too full of nosey 9its

Dave p
edit
Motorway Services OnlineRetrieved from "http://motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/Folkestone"

Parking Prices
*First two hours free for all vehicles. After this, cars must pay £3 for up to 4 hours or £5 for a whole day. Tickets can be bought through a pay-by-phone system with instructions in the car park. Further information is not available, please update this if you know. *

The services were first given planning permission in 1994 and they have 300 car parking spaces and 24 for lorries. Some of the units are yet to be let - see Stop 24's website for more information.

Comments and Reviews
Showing the most recent responses only: for the full thread and the ability to edit your own posts, you need to view the topic in the forums.

Author: Message: 
AP

Bit of shed, and with 20ish coaches all arriving at the same time we did not see the point of queing for food as we did not know how long we might have to eat it.
I can see why car drivers with families would hate it especially if they arrived when the coaches were there - too many people too few outlets!!!
As a coach transfer place it serves its purpose as a motorway service area it is on I would miss.

Posted: 08 Jun 2010, 19:54 
gabbyco

This place was a terrible mistake.

The location is wrong, it's empty and eerie and expensive.

It is a motorway elephant

The starbucks here has closed, the burger king, the hmv, the BB and the Eat store have all closed here.

Only KFC and Breakfast people remain and I would not recommend either

Wh smith and Julian Graves are here but again I would never visit

Fuel station is better used but it is expensive

Poorly sign posted from the M20 and to near to the tunnel if your this near to Dover you would be better off driving all the way

Sadly empty building with very good toilets but it needs to close !

Posted: 20 Apr 2010, 12:00 
curlytop

The best place to stop for food anywhere near the Channel Tunnel terminal is a fantastic village pub just 2 minutes from junctions 11 or 12. It's called The New Inn, its a hidden gem, and is a regular haunt of mine during my travels. Check it out - you wont be disappointed: http://www.new-inn.info

Posted: 19 Apr 2010, 07:04 
Anonymous

The centre is not open 24 hours at the moment.
It's opening hours are 06:00 to around 22:30
http://www.24xchange.com

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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

phil4francoise said:


> Typical I am afraid of the UK Does it not P*** you *** .Having just returned back from France which is so M/H friendly it really gets up your nose and you just want to turn around and get on the next ferry back


Exactly,

We stopped on 4 aires in pleasant towns with no problems at all. In fact at one we were joined by a travelling circus who were setting up on the ajoining carpark.

Keith

PS I'll be e-mailing the Stop 24 again to get a response and will also be emailing Shearings.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Thats the way Kieth, get the big bats out.
We are all in suport.
Local councils do not encourage us to tour our own country. height barriers are now erected in our local town car parks.
When I questioned the wisdom for this i was told that "we do not want travellers in town centre carparks"
No they were camped on the leisure fields next to the hospital.


dave p

please let us know the answer to your e mail
dave p


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## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

Just looked at the Stop 24 site. It does say limited caravan parking.

Looked at the coach drivers area.
1p meal if 20 on the coach and a £5 voucher towards purchases which can be accumulated.
No wonder coach drivers looking after there own!!

Perhaps you could suggest more designated Mhome parking in your email.

Also noticed in lorry section £20 parking overnight. Hope that doesn't mean Mhome charges would go up.

Please let us know how you get on.

Jan


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Thats the way Kieth, get the big bats out.
> We are all in suport.
> Local councils do not encourage us to tour our own country. height barriers are now erected in our local town car parks.
> When I questioned the wisdom for this i was told that "we do not want travellers in town centre carparks"
> ...


It is the same in Sandbach close to where we live. There is a Waitrose with a car park that the entrance is too narrow. The other car park has height barriers. We never shop there with the motorhome choosing Tesco's in Crewe instead because we can get in.

As soon as I get a reply I'll post it here.

Keith


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## whistlinggypsy (May 1, 2005)

This is a copy of the email I received when I asked about parking at Stop 24 M20 J11. We stopped there recently going out and on our return and had no problems what so ever, in fact when I rung on the return trip they had all my details to hand and I just paid my £5 and that was it.

We had free wifi and the is a fresh water tap available in the bottom left hand side of the coach park.

We would certainly park there again, and if you copy and print this email you can show any busy bodies that you are parked legally. 


Thank you for you enquiry and I can advise the following:-

Long term parking is permitted. The charge is £3 for 2-4 hours and then £5 per day thereafter Payment is by an automated system so you will need a mobile phone and credit/debit card. Clear signs around the car park explain the procedure. You cannot pre. book this facility.

Please note that the car park is not secured at night by means of a gate, nor is it manned 24 hours, however it is well lit and covered by CCTV.

Please also note that there is no designated parking for caravans. However the first row of spaces is not height restricted or failing that there are bays to the right hand side of the entrance marked "coaches only" that can be used.

Overnight parking for motorhomes and caravans is permitted.


Alan Jones BSc (Hons) MRICS
Development Surveyor
Henry Boot Developments
Banner Cross Hall
Sheffield
S11 9PD

Telephone 0114 255 5444 
Fax 0114 258 5548


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Shearings*

Hi

I would be on the blower to Shearings straight away. Do Shearings own Stop 24? They might use it as an interchange, but I don't think they own it.

Russell


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## hannah29 (Feb 13, 2006)

we stopped there a month ago with no issues and no payment. turned up at around 10.30pm parked in caravan bay and wandered over to the main building. this was closed but we spoke to the security guys to check we were ok to park where we were. they said no problem we will keep an eye on you, asked them about paying and they said there is an automated phone service to pay through but it wasnt working that night so have a good sleep!!!
we stayed till about 10am the next morning with no issues. there was also quite a few caravans parked in the coach park alongside the coaches and they stayed there overnight. we will not hesitate in using it again and certainly wouldnt hesitate in paying the fiver to saty
hannah


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## Markt500 (Mar 23, 2010)

_'In fact at one we were joined by a travelling circus who were setting up on the ajoining carpark'_

Hi Keith,

Can't remeber the name of the aire, but if it was the one beside the lake and next to the campsite (in July this year), we were also there when the circus turned up!

Mark


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## trevor007 (Apr 20, 2008)

I parked across the caravan bay outside main doors 10 days ago,
on our way back from france. 
I parked from 11pm to 10am and had a a good night sleep before the 3hr drive home, but thought it was free as it says early arrival area on motorway sign so we thought it was a eurotunnel parking area as the one in calais is and didn't notice charges mentioned anywhere obvious.

Whoops


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

Markt500 said:


> _'In fact at one we were joined by a travelling circus who were setting up on the ajoining carpark'_
> 
> Hi Keith,
> 
> ...


No this one was the Aire at Buchy. It is quite close to the centre of the town, next to a college. There is a large car park for the college and buses. The Aire is at the back. We were just settling down for the night when the circus rolled into town. When we got up the following day there were animals all around tethered to stakes. They made nice round circles in the grass they had been eating.  We left before the circus tent was up.

We saw the same circus vehicles on the motorway on the way back.

Keith


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## willetttiger (Jan 11, 2010)

why not use The Black Horse at Monks Horton its three miles from stop 24 and the pitch is free if you have a meal in the pub and there are now outside loos and showers and electric


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Or Use Canterbury park & Ride for £2.50


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

locovan said:


> Or Use Canterbury park & Ride for £2.50


For both questions - We preferred the Stop 24 because we drive down from Cheshire after leaving work and never know what time we would arrive due to the Birmingham and M25 traffic. We have tried the M1, avoiding Birmingham but are still in trouble around the M25 and the dartford bridge. In June we didn't get to Folkstone until after 9pm


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## trevor007 (Apr 20, 2008)

willetttiger 

The food at The Black Horse makes me want to go now, but i can't find a mention of MH parking i have parked in many pub carparks as i find most times if you ask and are having a meal they are more than happy for you to park. 

Personally i am not comfortable parking calais side in the free park so tried the motorway stop in uk this time, but if The Black Horse are ok for parking i will try them next time. 

Trev


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

maxautotrail said:


> Hi
> 
> We're just back from 10 days in France. On the way out we stopped over-night at the 'Stop 24' on the M20 just short of the Tunnel. I had e-mailed the company the reply said we could overnight at the services and even said we could park in the coach lanes. You phone the number on the signs and pay £5 by Debit/Credit card.
> 
> ...


I have now received an appology from Shearings for the way their staff treated us. In the e-mail they say that Shearings lease coach parking spaces so their coaches can stop there.  They didn't say how many spaces they have leased so I have replied asking "how many" so that I can avoid their spaces next time I stop.

I will keep you all informed.

Keith


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

Well done Keith!


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

maxautotrail said:


> maxautotrail said:
> 
> 
> > Hi
> ...


In that case the Shearings spaces should be clearly marked as such and coned off if necessary.


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

maxautotrail said:


> Hi
> 
> We're just back from 10 days in France. On the way out we stopped over-night at the 'Stop 24' on the M20 just short of the Tunnel. I had e-mailed the company the reply said we could overnight at the services and even said we could park in the coach lanes. You phone the number on the signs and pay £5 by Debit/Credit card.
> 
> ...


Hi everyone,

I've now received an email from Alan Jones from Henry Boot, the operators. It seems we have been using the wrong "coach park". Here are his words.....

_The area I was referring to was the area marked Coaches Only directly outside of the entrance to the services rather than the actual coach park.

I had these remarked over the summer and it now reads Caravans Only._

I'm not sure where this area is but if any of you are going there it seems the signage is now better and we didn't spot the new signs.

Still no reason for Shearing staff to be so rude but hey we have had an appology.

Hope this has helped.

best regards 
Keith


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