Have only ever used the Escape Lounge in T2 (as an Upper Class passenger). It was refitted last year and a lot of improvements have been made.
Pre-refit, the lounge was in two halves, separated by a corridor. As you got to the top of the stairs (with your back to the planes) the lounge on the left was generally used for pay-access & the one on the right for Business Class passengers in the morning (when they host J class passengers for a number of airlines). The left hand side was a bit squashed and had no natural light. The right hand side was slightly (but not much) less squashed, but did benefit from natural light. Food & drink offerings on both sides were the same.
Post-refit, the Escape lounge is all one (the corridor between each side has gone). The decor is obviously much more up to date & the food and drink offer has improved slightly. You still get a free bacon or sausage cob (one per customer) if you're there during breakfast hours, but there is now an enhanced breakfast menu available for additional payment. Am sure I read that VS UC pax get this enhanced menu free of charge now. In the morning they do try to keep the far side of the lounge near the windows as the quiet zone & the half near the entrance as the less quiet side, but it's not really enforced in my experience.
To summarise, the Escape Lounge in T2 is not too bad now after the refit. Pre-refit, I would not have considered paying for access, as I am not in there to knock back loads of alcohol to get suitable value for money. Post-refit, I would consider paying for access as it's a fairly quiet lounge, with not too bad a food offering - certainly in the height of the school holidays it will be far more desirable than the main departure level in T2.
