Great report, thanks JayMac. Who would have thought Cross Country would have won top prize for the best first class catering on the services you travelled on. Really poor service by Avanti.

 
I travelled from Taunton -Bristol (GWR local), Bristol - Paddington (GWR), Euston - Birmingham (Avanti), and Birmingham - Taunton (CrossCountry) yesterday (Sat 9/8/25). All in 1st Class.

On GWR local no catering - none expected. On GWR from Bristol I had three passes from the 1st Class host. On offer to drink were teas, coffees, juices and pop. To eat there was a selection of biscuits, cakes and a savoury snack box.

On Avanti there was nothing. Advertised on weekends is an at seat service including hot and soft drinks, bacon rolls, toasted teacakes, fruit salad, porridge. With a larger plate option of smoked salmon & scrambled eggs or mushroom bruschetta. Sadly, none of this was available to me as I'd chosen to ride on one of Avanti's new 5 car Class 805 Everos - actually 2x 5 car. 1st Class passengers at the weekend have to collect their complementary items (allegedly the full advertised weekend menu) from the on board shop. Three carriages away from 1st Class. The shop on my unit was closed - staff shortages, and only announced after departure when it was too late to change units. When I enquired about this with the TM she was full of apologies. Asking me what I'd like to drink and she'd fetch it from the closed shop for me. I said I quite fancied one of the ciders advertised on the 1st Class menu. None of those in the shop so she brought me back a can of Inch's cider - a retail product. I switched units at Milton Keynes. Bagged my 1st Class seat and walked the three carriages to the shop. No 1st Class stock had been loaded and the host wouldn't comp me anything, not even a hot drink. I purchased snacks and drink instead, keeping the receipt to add to a complaint - as suggested by the host. Now, I fully understand 'subject to availability' but it's a bit off to only find out this after swapping units and walking nearly the length of said unit. Along with the announcement about there only being a shop in the front unit, the host should also have apologised over the PA for the lack of any 1st Class complimentary items. Lesson learnt though. Next time I'll choose a service operated by a single 7 car Class 807 Evero, or Class 390 Pendolino.

Finally CrossCountry. Full, attentive and cheery service from the 1st Class host. Catering as advertised. Two passes between Birmingham and Bristol. A tuna crunch roll, savouries, cake, hot & cold drinks. A third pass after crew change, so I took the opportunity to grab another sandwich. In the bag for supper when I got home!

Marks out of ten, based on the advertised offering and the service onboard.

GWR 7/10.
Avanti 2/10. Those two points for the free cider the TM fetched. Would've been zero otherwise.
CrossCountry 9/10.

On a side note. My first journey on one of Avanti's Everos. Very nice trains. It seems they've looked at many of the things wrong with earlier iterations of Hitachi's AT300 UK classes (800, 801, 802, 803) and improved them. I particularly liked the information screens at the ends of carriages. Lots of information pages, showing journey progress, moving map, calling points... along with adverts for the onboard shop and safety/security information. Also shows CCTV feed...