M20 service area - Stop24

We stopped there overnight last weekend on our way to the tunnel. It proved interesting! We had previously asked and been told to park in the coach area, so this we duly did. Then we went in search of how to pay for the night. We could find no machines and even fewer people so we asked at one of the few open retail outlets. We were very pleasantly treated and a cleaner was duly found to advise us. She said we were fine where we were and that she would let the night guards know. When they came on duty we were allowed to park for free and told there were six cameras to watch us. He also said that you can pay £5 in advance but we couldn't quite work out how and why. Every member of staff being kind, courteous and helpful. However by 8pm all the shops were mostly shut and the place was very quiet indeed, which is a shame as its quite a nice clean and convinient service station for the tunnel.
The next morning we were woken by the coaches coming and going and changing all their passengers around.
Then the fun started. An officious jobsworth from the coach company started by putting cones at the end of all the bays including ours! Then realsing that this was not moving us, we were leaving at 12pm as we had told the attendants the night before, then knocked on our door and told us to either leave or move to another part of the car park. As we have disabled occupants this was not an option and we do things in our own time, which we told him and in any case his coaches could use any of the other free bays. So we stayed until 11.45am being glared at and talked about, being deaf lipreading is possible given the right conditions!!!!
So if you are using this car park its obvious you are very welcome and I would suggest using the bays furthest from the entrance. Although with wheelchairs I still think the attendants would be very haopy for us to park near the entrance but be warned of the coach company officaldom who seem to think or do own the bays!
Joyce

they seem to be desperate for business now, but not so sure how to handle it!!

here's a thread from last year

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-49868-10-days0-orderasc-stop24.html

needless to say I didn't receive areply to my query :roll:

We called in here last September on the way to the tunnel (for an afternoon departure), it was like a ghost town. The spaces by the entrance are too short for anything other than small vans. We went into the coach park (desterted), and there were signs everywhere saying no parking other than for coaches. I had a look around (while viv stayed in the 'van :roll: ) and tried to find anybody who looked like they worked there (apart from the shops / cafes which were also very quiet), but nothing. How is anybody supposed to contact the "staff" when there's nobody about?

I would say again, why on earth did they not design in any caravan / motorhome (or even white van!!) parking? Poor planning, and they deserve to lose their shirts on this crap venture.