More info: http://www.scotsman.com/business/greggs_unveils_motorway_services_drive_1_1919084

Opened: 2 November 1959

Original owner: Blue Boar

Current Owner: RoadChef

Trivia:
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.

Current:
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.

Gallery:
Thanks to Thomas Swift, we have these fantastic photographs to share with you:

	The services today.
	The petrol station
	Inside the MSA
	Restaurant
	More restaurant.
	1960′s view

Opened: 1967

Original owner: Mecca Leisure

Sold to: Granada in 1977

Current Owner: Moto

Then:

Trivia:
Originally themed as a “village”, in Robin Hood/Sherrwood forest style. Restaurant area was called Sherrifs Restaurant, and another Marion’s Pantry. There were lots of Heraldic decorations. Possibly inspired by themed bars at Butlins?

Featured in an episode of auf wiedersehn pet- A comedy about a group of North Eastern Builders. Any coincidence that the services name sounds like a builders tool? (trowell = trowel)

Ones named as a crime hotspot by Nottinghamshire police (link)

Originally the toilets were not accessible from inside the northbound complex, it being necessary to leave the building and move along the frontage to enter the toilet area. Recent re-development added a new frontage and additional space to a new ground floor caferia, bringing the toliet entrance well inside the complex.

The southbound 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)

Photos:

Trowell in its Mecca Village days. The shop is ahead. Now how individual could a MSA get?
The Restaurant. These are from a postcard which describes it as “The World Famous Sheriff’s Restaurant at Mecca Village- Trowell – Notts.

Then:

Trivia:
Birch Services on the M62 are designed in a similar way (both have a distinctive roof structure from the outside)

Orginally had a huge bank of Vending machines including microwaves to self-serve food

Has a secret exit. It is possible to switch between the northbound and southbound sites by using nearby Bramley Lane. Users of the lodge need to do this to access the building, which is on the northbound only. The exit is controlled by a automatic bollard + intercom to prevent regular access

The southbound site had a lodge built in 2001

Current:
I usually stop off on the southbound services (the first on the M1 for me after turning off from the M62). Its was always small service station although recently enlarged, but the small size does offer it a intimacy (if you can have intimacy in a MSA!) and a spectacular view north. Recently converted to typical Quick Service Multiple Vendor type cafeteria. I found the service outstanding, and great attention to detail (the duty manager out and about checking everything from the restaurant to the toilets!)

Thanks:
Nigel Moore for information about the exit + hotel
Andrew M C Brodie – Lodge information

Until now, only a generic logo like a petrol pump could be shown. And operators have in recent years taken to renaming themselves so the “operator” signage reflects some of the facilities at the site (e.g. “Starbucks KFC”)

Operators now have to propose the signs they wish to display, but hooray for some common sense at last!

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:

http://www.stroud.gov.uk/docs/planning/planning_application_detail.asp?AppRef=S.11/0382/MISC

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 theme is very much Scottish, with an abundance of tartan carpet and haggis on the menu, while when it opened it sported the Highlander sandwich bar. It also opened with a retail shop, and self-service restaurant, with the fuel forecourt added later.

Overall though, Happendon’s story is rather sad. Although well signposted from the M74, the services are actually accessed via the B7078 (old A74) and not directly from the motorway. This, plus a non recognised brand, has meant that it never seems to have attracted the business that was hoped.

Originally there were plans to add a motel and caravan site to the services, but sadly these were never built. The sandwich bar was also closed! As a result, Happendon always seems undeservedly quiet, at times almost ghostly, with the staff often outnumbering the customers. Compared with opening, the restaurant menu options have lessened, the shop has a lesser range of stock and some of the now-defunct facilities, like The Highlander, are scantily covered over. I feel it is a real shame, as the design inside is simple, yet clean and attractive and there really is so much potential, while the food is actually rather good!

I would thus urge fellow motorists to please stop at Happendon in order to allow this potential “wee gem” to fulfil its potential. The Scottish theme has been done so well – cool without being in your face – the services are simple with a functional charm, and the owners obviously have some great deas. It also has really friendly staff, and plenty of room to expand, plus with the neighbouring gatehouse, the potential to make something of an attractive feature. We also need to encourage anywhere that can try to rival the “big three” and given the chance, I reckon Happendon could do so very convincingly!

Cheers,
Alan Simpson

Thanks

Thanks to Alan Simpson for providing this very detailed information about Happendon

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 tired.

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 of the dining area.

Access between West/East bound sites is via a tunnel not a bridge. These services were built low level to minimise the visual impact on the local area.

Rownhams in 1987 (with thanks to Michael Evans)

Current:

Large car park, for a medium sized MSA. Tends to be quiet, loos are large, and relativly modern. Good sized shop, small arcade and tourist information stand. A wimpy is also available but has limited opening hours. Its a pleasant stop, the place feels tranquil and airy.

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 wholesale changes to Birchanger Green which might be inflicted by expansion of Stanstead Airport (view)

Has a tourist office, although you’ll have seen bigger cupboards. Does provide a lot of info on Essex and London.

Appeared breifly in a tv programme (possibly “The Bill” or its Burnside spin off)- police gave chase to a suspect who fled over the embankment at the end of a car park. In the film, just over the embankment was a gravel pit. In reality, theres the A120

The hotel is very close to the airport but a lot cheaper than the airport hotels. The petrol is expensive though, and you’d be better off going half a mile east on the a120 to the petrol station there (typically about 3p cheaper)

Popular lorry stop, but the car park scheme hides them well. Security cabin in car park.

Received a 5 Star Loo of the year award

The services is also a known birdwatching site, and a rare bird has been seen there.

Installed a mini- Sainburys in 2006. It was removed in 2007. Instead Welcome Break tied up with WH Smith.

Current:
Very light and airy, thanks to its glass pitch roof running through the middle of the building. Not much has changed in the last 10 years, in terms of layout, but obviously all the fixtures and things have been replaced so its very clean. The entrance doors have been changed to stop the draught, and the Coffee shop (now a coffee primo) is very pleasant on a sunny day.