MSA Timeline
Timeline of MSA history.
Here is a “time order” list of openings and events in MSA history. Please note that dates may not be correct, but are based on infomation gathered or supplied. Some sites are also missing from this list where I don’t have an opening date for them, so don’t use this as a master site index for the site!
Looking at the list it is easy to see sudden spurts in development (such as 1972), and quiet periods ( such as 1977-82 and 83-86)
| 1959 | Watford Gap (Blue Boar) | M1 |
| 1960 | Newport Pagnell | M1 |
| 1963 | Medway | M2 |
| 1963 | Take-A-Break enters MSA business | |
| 1963 | Strensham | M5 |
| 1963 | Keele | M6 |
| 1963 | Knutsford | M6 |
| 1963 | Charnock Richard | M6 |
| 1965 | Granada Enters MSA business | |
| 1965 | Toddington | M1 |
| 1965 | Lancaster (Forton) | M6 |
| 1966 | Leicester Forest East | M1 |
| 1966 | Aust/Severn View | M4 |
| 1966 | Frankley | M5 |
| 1967 | Trowell | M1 |
| 1968 | Woodall | M1 |
| 1968 | Heston | M4 |
| 1969 | London Gateway/Scratchwood | M1 |
| 1970 | Esso enters MSA business with Taverna brand | |
| 1970 | Hilton Park | M6 |
| 1970 | Burton-in-Kendal | M6 |
| 1970 | Washington Birtley | A1(M) |
| 1971 | Michaelwood | M5 |
| 1971 | Bolton West | M61 |
| 1971 | Harthill | M8 |
| 1972 | Southwaite (Northbound) | M6 |
| 1972 | Woolley Edge | M1 |
| 1972 | Membury | M4 |
| 1972 | Leigh Delamere | M4 |
| 1972 | Corley | M6 |
| 1972 | Killington Lake | M6 |
| 1972 | Tebay E (Northbound) | M6 |
| 1972 | Birch | M62 |
| 1973 | Esso (Taverna) leaves MSA business, sells sites to Granada (more) | |
| 1973 | Fleet | M3 |
| 1973 | Gordano | M5 |
| 1973 | Hartshead Moor | M62 |
| 1974 | Burtonwood | M62 |
| 1974 | Hamilton | M74 |
| 1974 | Bothwell | M74 |
| 1976 | Sandbach | M6 |
| 1977 | Rownhams | M27 |
| 1977 | Southwaite (Southbound) | M6 |
| 1977 | Exeter | M5 |
| 1978 | Government Prior Report changes MSA structure. Now to be a 50 year lease, as opposed to annual rent based on turnover (more) | |
| 1982 | Kinross | M90 |
| 1985 | Ferrybridge | M62/A1 |
| 1986 | South Mimms | M25 |
| 1986 | Chieveley | M4 |
| 1986 | Sedgemoor (Southbound) | M5 |
| 1986 | Sarn Park | M4 |
| 1986 | Stirling | M9/M80 |
| 1987 | Sedgemoor(Northbound) | M5 |
| 1987 | Forte purchases Welcome Break from Hanson Trust | |
| 1990 | Tamworth | M42 |
| 1991 | Thurrock | M25 |
| 1991 | Cardiff West | M4 |
| 1991 | Swansea | M4 |
| 1992 | Government deregulates provision of MSA’s- now can be 15 miles apart where there is a demonstrated need | |
| 1993 | Tebay W (Southbound) | M6 |
| 1993 | Clacket Lane | M25 |
| 1993 | Reading | M4 |
| 1993 | Granda deal with Burger king to put franchised outlets in MSA’s. | |
| 1994 | Cherwell Valley | M40 |
| 1994 | Take-a-Break (who owned Stensham) had a management buyout from its owners (inchscape) | |
| 1994 | Welcome Break negotiate a long term turnover related lease with MacDonalds, who ran the MacDonalds stores with the MSA. This was different to Granada’s earlier tie up with Burger King, which was a franchise. | |
| 1995 | Forte sites (Welcome Break) Aquired by Granada | |
| 1995 | Pavillion sites sold to Granada | |
| 1995 | Blue Boar had a management buyout from its owners for £25m | |
| 1996 | Stafford (northbound) | M6 |
| 1996 | Birchanger Green | M11 |
| 1996 | First purchases 2 services from Granada (management buyout) | |
| 1997 | Granada Sells off 21 Welcome Break 21 sites to Investicorp after Monopolies commision report. (more) | |
| 1998 | Welcome Break starts selling KFC | |
| 1998 | Oxford | M40 |
| 1998 | Chester | M56 |
| 1998 May | Roadchef Acquired by Nikko Europe Plc | |
| 1998 July |
Roadchef Aquires Take-A-Break | |
| 1998 July | Roadchef Aquires Blue Boar | |
| 1999 | Donnngton Park | M1/A42 |
| 1999 | Hopwood Park | M42 |
| 1999 | Bridgwater | M5 |
| 1999 | Stafford (southbound) | M6 |
| 2000 | Granada Merges with Compass changes name of MSA’s to Moto | |
| 2001 | Winchester | M3 |
| 2001 | Cardiff Gate | M4 |
| 2002 | Blackburn Interchange | M65 |
| 2002 | Compass (moto) sells off Little Chef and Travelodge chain (more) | |
| 2003 | Telford | M54 |
| 2004 | Norton Canes | M6T |
| 2004 | Several MSA companies close to collapse with poor share price. | |
| 2004 | Part of Welcome Break (its finance arm) went into recievership (more) | |
| 2007 | Nikko sells RoadChef to Israel property firm Delek for £375 million | |
Thanks:
“Jam Sandwich”
You need to add Beaconsfield & Cobham to your list(!)
I’m trying to find out if MSA’s were publicly or privately funded. Specifically Leigh Delamere West. I understand the land is/was leased from HM Government, but was construction funded by the taxpayer or Granada, the original operator? Grateful if you could confirm this either way as I’m contesting a parking fine for taking a much needed rest break that exceeded 2 hours! Thanks
Aust services closed except for petrol sales when the Second Severn Crossing opened. The “services” or food area is now a business centre with one of the most dramatic views you can imagine from behind a desk.