New M5 service area plans review set
Westmorland, who run Tebayare planning to build a new £35 Million service area just south of Gloucester on the M5 – between Junctions 11a and 12. and named “Brookthorpe” This is being contested in the high court on the grounds that when planning was approved, the council failed to take into account objections by Welcome Break and Roadchef and Natural England when granting permission. The Judicial review is in January 17/18. Full Planning details are available here:...
Full ReviewM74 Happendon Services
Opened: 1995 Original owner: Cairn Lodge Current Owner: Cairn Lodge Location: Current: Alan Simpson writes: “Happendon services is operated by Cairn Lodge, and can be found in Scotland on the M74 between J11 and 12. Cairn Lodge is an independent company and opened the services in 1993, when the first new part of the M74 extension was opened. At the time the distance between the planned Abington services at J13 was too far from Roadchef’s Hamilton and Bothwell, so Happendon filled the gap. However it lies only 10 miles north of Welcome Break’s Abington as a result. The name Cairn Lodge came about because of the old gatehouse which is still standing, and visible from the main restaurant. The...
Full ReviewM62 Hartshead Moor Services
Opened: 1973 Original owner: Ross Current Owner: Welcome Break Location: Then: Trivia: Plaque in entry hall in tribute to those who died in the M62 bomb Current: Loos old fasioned- brown / beige and looking very...
Full ReviewM27 Rownhams Services
Opened:1977 Original owner: Roadchef Current Owner: Roadchef Location: Between J3 and J4 Then: Trivia: Designed to be single story, and similar to a moon colony (later refurbishment has hidden this) there was at one time a plan to grass the roof to make it more invisible from the road- the aim with this msa was minimal distrubance of the natural area. Rownhams is not in the New Forest, but this is where the new forest feel starts (assuming you are heading West!) Is the only “proper” MSA on the South Coast Another services was planned for J9 but was never built Used to have an internal atrium -removed roughly 2001 to put in place a new coffee shop at the foot...
Full ReviewM11 Birchanger Green Services
Opened: 1995 Original owner: Welcome Break Current Owner: Welcome Break Trivia: Reputed cost to build was £10,000,000 One of the first Welcome Breaks to feature (in 1995) a Cafe Primo (before now they had been Cafe Forte) and a MacDonalds. Welcome Break had negotiated a long term turnover related lease with MacDonalds, who ran the MacDonalds stores with the MSA. This was different to Granada’s tie up with Burger King, which was a franchise. Located very near the entrance to London Stanstead Airport, off what was the worst motorway junction in the country for congestion (the junction has since been improved to divert Airport traffic via a sub junction.) Mentioned in a poem written by a local about the...
Full Review