Gatwick home to 'worst airport lounge' according to Which? probe

Gatwick’s north terminal was found to have the worst airport lounge in Britain, a consumer magazine investigation has found.

Reviewers found that “the floor was grubby and the facilities were basic” at the My Lounge in Gatwick. They said they were left "wishing we'd stuck to the seating outside".

The Which? investigation into the facilities in UK airports found that the average score given to the 17 lounges assessed was just 2.6 out of five.

My Lounge in Gatwick, which costs £18 if paid in advance, received the lowest score of just 1.5.

An overview of the report read: "The decor was often low-rent rather than ritzy, and the buffets were basic.

"And, having paid an average of £25 to enter, the consensus was that you would need to eat and drink an awful lot to get your money's worth."

Reviewers added that the Gatwick lounge’s vegetable chilli on offer "didn't look especially appetising" and there were not enough easy chairs or sockets for laptops.

Numerous lounges fared only slightly better, with scores of two out of five, including Edinburgh Aspire, Heathrow Skyteam T4, Heathrow Aspire T5, Manchester Escape T1 and T2.

The findings were not all doom and gloom for Gatwick though, as the No1 lounge at the south terminal earned the highest score of 3.5 out of five.

With an advance fee of £30, it was found to be "classy and comfortable" and "worth paying the little extra for.”

A spokeswoman for No1 Lounges Ltd, which operates My Lounge at Gatwick's north terminal, said: "We take hygiene extremely seriously.

“We believe the review must have taken place last year at a time when the lounge was particularly busy, due to us accommodating the airline moves programme at Gatwick Airport.

"Our satisfaction scores for My Lounge are now significantly higher.

"Regarding food choice, we are about to launch our summer menu which includes a more comprehensive offering, including a wider selection of sweet and savoury options, including additional hot choices and a pancake machine. We are also introducing a make-your-own cocktail station."