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Donington
Leicester Forest
Newport Pagnell
Northampton
Scratchwood
Tibshelf
Toddington
Trowell
Watford Gap
Woodall
Wooley Edge
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Technically, the first Motorway Services in the UK. However, when it opened,
the buildings were not ready so food was sold from temporary sheds!.
Opened on the same day as the M1 Motorway
Very popular with pop stars in the 1960's. Urban story has it that Jimi
Hendrix thought Blue Boar was the name of a London club, becuase so many
of his contemporaries mentioned it.
Blue Boar were offered the opportunity to develop the site to compensate
the loss of business to thier existing facilities on the A5. They were
offered Newport Pagnell too, but in the end that site was developed by
Forte
The government originally intended this site to be "Lorries Only"
In 1977 an artist called Roy
Harper released an album called 'Bullinamingvase'
which originally included the song 'Watford Gap' with its lyric 'Watford
Gap,
Watford
Gap, a plate of grease and a load of c**p'.
Later versions of the album did not feature the song as a member of the
EMI board was also a member of the Watford Gap's board of directors.
Recently
taken over by RoadChef, who have invested heavily practically removing
all trace of the existing buildings and building new facilites.
Thanks:
Thanks to John Ferguson &
Thomas Swift for help with this page.
Thanks
to Thomas Swift, we have these fantastic photographs to share with you:
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The services today. |
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The petrol station |
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Inside the MSA |
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Restaurant |
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More restaurant. |
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1960's view |
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1960's view |
| People who prefer this MSA |
| People happy to visit |
| People who avoid this MSA |
| Selection of comments received |
We used to go here after closing for chips and egg and a few games of pinball back in the mid 80s until we were told about a now lost gem of Bobs cafe on the A45 at the Fosse roundabout.... open all hours and quarter the price ! Paul, Northampton. 05/06/2005 18:32:32
Rolled up at 10.00 pm - Costa tables overflowing with cups, plates & trays which took a further 45 mins to be cleared, but restaurant (as pictured above) clean, with prompt service & good coffee! 19/06/2005 22:40:17
Very good - however, would have liked to know what junction the services at Watford Gap are at. 15/07/2005 09:08:11
Great place..excellent staff and food 21/12/2005 12:16:25
not bad services at all, apart from avoiding people trying to sign you up to credit cards 30/01/2006 08:09:29
3 years ago I reported this MSA to Daventry Environmental Health 11/04/2006 09:16:17
24/06/2006 14:21:27
very clean, and handy to break down at! Handy stop on Megabus when the bus has no loo! 25/06/2006 18:09:36
Havent been for a while, but it has always seemed nice and clean, if a bit cramped. 31/07/2006 22:41:26
In Jul 05 I visited Watford Gap at approx. 1:30am on a school trip to France - after visiting the loo, I noticed that the 18+ arcade had a change machine - and nothing else! (probably because it was the early hours of the morning) 06/12/2006 19:33:18
Poor choice of food. Expensive food and fuel. 26/03/2007 21:57:20
The building is a typical hut but very clean inside, the toilets were easy to find and also clean. Food is as always expensive. What is it about service station car parks that they have to make them so confusing to get out of??? 10/05/2007 13:29:51
This service station unlawfully discriminates against some coach drivers. Fire exit once blocked by chairs by management to stop people cutting through when doors left open for air. Hand dryers rarely work. Food often sitting for hours. 22/06/2007 03:03:52
This is a stop to be avoided at all costs! Expensive and couldnt-care-less attitude from staff 16/09/2007 18:21:56
i am a coach driver and i always get excellent service. the staff are very friendly and the food is very goog 16/10/2007 14:46:12
An overpriced rip off! even the cash machines have been replaced by those that charge for withdrawels (£1.85) 18/11/2007 19:27:04
The service at the Wimpy is the stuff of legend. I love it more than I love my own children. 16/12/2007 16:28:46
Every Major MSA in England is ripping people off with high prices for all the goods and services they offer. They will never get better until they stop selling at exhorbitant prices and therefore increase their footflow and trade. 12/01/2008 17:14:53
chilly, no free wifi, generally aweful 21/01/2008 18:28:00
This is my favorite MSA and since my wife died i like to go there for my sunday roastas its yummy. 07/02/2008 15:20:22
27/04/2008 18:58:11
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