Travelling to see friends and family can often mean long, arduous hours on the road with little to do in between. Offering us some reprieve from these long journeys are the various roadside services scattered along the North Wales coastline.

One such stop ideal for those travelling through the Bangor area is the One Stop services just off the A55 near Llandygai, which offers food and refreshment to those in need. The stop has had a major rework in recent years which saw the previously tired-looking station gain a new lick of paint.

The overhaul completely rebuilt the garage, adding new take-away options inside including a Greggs and Subway, alongside an Asda for shopping. A new building was also added to the site, which was taken up by Starbucks, adding a drive-through option for the popular chain.

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The site is split into the three main buildings, with the third being what you'd usually call your run-of-the-mill services. This building is the weakest part of the new ensemble, and feels relegated compared to the options in the garage.

Inside this still sad-looking building you'll find the long-term resident Burger King, which did get a new drive-through as part of the renovation. However, the inside still feels trapped in the 90s. There is what appears to be at least one other shop next door to Burger King, although whether it's still in business was hard to determine, especially given it wasn't open mid-afternoon just days before a major bank holiday.

Ideal spot to pick your favourites.
It's an ideal spot to pick your favourites

The remainder of the old building is still taken up by Travelodge, which also looks tired from the outside. It's strange - it feels as though half of this site was abandoned, wilting away and still showing its age, while just on the other side of a small patch of trees you'll be met with new, brightly coloured buildings, as if they are waiting for the old building to retire so it can be replaced.

The new facilities though are ideal for the weary traveller, offering plenty of choice in terms of food and drinks. If you can make it across the car park without being run over (which is more of a challenge than it seems), then you can pair up a Subway and a Starbucks as I did, offering a little more variety on my travelling lunch.

The original services building does feel forgotten after the renovations.
The original services building does feel forgotten after the renovations

The Starbucks is the best place for travellers looking for an out-of-car break, with a cosy modern interior making it far more comfortable and pleasing to the eye than the seating in the older main service building.

As a services it feels quiet compared to the more hectic ones you'll find further down the A55, but the overhaul has made it a lot more useful overall. More services at the station make the new buildings ideal for travellers, but it does feel like it is trying to forget the building it started from.

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