Motorway Services Online

Retrieved from "https://motorwayservices.uk"

Handcross services

Location:

A23 southbound between Crawley and Brighton

Signposted from the road.

Postcode:

RH17 6BL

map and directions

Access/Layout:

Single site located between junctions on one side of the road.


The famous road to Brighton kicks off with a small service area hidden in the trees.

Facilities

Outdoor Space: Grass lawn next to forecourt Forecourt: BP, Londis, Costa Express, Rollover, Jet Wash, Free Cash Machine

Parking Prices

Short stay customer parking is available for all vehicles. No overnight parking is available.

This information is provided to us by third parties. You should always check with staff on site.

Contact Details

🏢 Address:
Handcross Services
Handcross
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH17 6BL


Trivia and History

Restaurant interior with wooden dividers.
Inside the restaurant building, serving as Cherries Cafe in 2011.

Plans for a service area here were first put forward by Mobil in 1986. These plans included a filling station and motorists' restaurant. The site opened in 1987 next to the original A23 London Road with a Mobil filling station, and it was later joined by an AJ's restaurant in July 1990. In 1993, that road was shifted west, which meant the old service area was still accessible - albeit with a long entry slip road.

The AJ's went onto become the Handcross South branch of Little Chef in 1997 before closing in 2005. The restaurant later became Cherries Cafe and then Crama Romaneasca, which stopped trading in 2020 and currently lies abandoned.

The filling station was rebranded to BP in 1997, and in the mid-2010s gained a Costcutter store following its acquisition by MFG. This was later rebranded to Londis in 2018.

MFG hold planning permission to build a Starbucks Drive Thru on the existing HGV parking area to the rear of the sales building. As part of the works, the HGV parking area would be relocated, the existing jet wash removed, and a charging hub could be created with eight electric vehicle charging points.

The GeniePoint charger was switched off in 2023 due to power supply issues.

Alternatives

Previous:Next:
Pease Pottage (3 miles)Services on the A23Jeremy's Corner (northbound, 3 miles)
Hickstead (6 miles)