Opened: 1986
Original owner: Trusthouse Forte
Current Owner: Welcome Break
Single site services located on M25/A1(M) junction
Then:
Trivia:
The first services on the M25. Originally typically 80’s high pointy roof construction, with large area in middle for dining.
Features in the Video for “3 Lions”, also featuring Robbie Williams.
Destroyed by Fire in 1999. Temporary services errected in carpark, whilst remains of old building destroyed and a new replacement built by Welcome Break.
The new building is similar in style to the Welcome Break at Hopwood Park on the M42. Both buildings look more like an airport terminal than a service area (apart from the lack of planes, that is)
BP already owned part of the site that eventually became the services. MSA areas are always let on a competitive tender basis, but as BP owned part of this site, an exception was made, and was allowed to take a 50 year lease on a single tender basis.
Featured in a book called “Destination Nowhere” where the writer stayed at South Mimms for a week and wrote about life that passed by there, creating a sort of diary.
Current:
The site currently has a 5 Star Loo of the year Award 2003 along with 33 others in the road transport category. (find best loos overall)
Thanks:
Thanks to Simon of Sabre for some the trivia on this page