M61 Bolton West Services

Users
Opened : 1971
Original owner: Kenning Motor Group
Latter owner: Pavillion(Formerly Rank)
Even Latter owner: Granada
Current Owner: First
Original Name: Anderton Services
Later name: Rivington Services

 

Trivia:

Sold off by Granada as part of the agreement they made when they purchased Pavillion. Granada sold “Rivington” (Bolton West) and Magor for 8.3 Million pounds.

After the sale, a Husband and wife team who worked at Magor then moved to run this site.

First invested 1.2 Million after aquiring the site to build a new hotel, and renamed the site “Bolton West”

This MSA must have had the most changes in ownership of any MSA (see header above) It has also had 3 names- a record as far as we know (not including cases where names have reverted back to the original name)

Peter Kay filmed a spoof Docusoap about a MSA here called “The Services”

Current:
Whenever I return home from Cumbria, I tend to stop here for a late breakfast. The Services here are medium sized, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it crowded. Decor looks a little dated, but the food, (well the all day breakfast) is great.

Picture:


Anderton Service area whilst owned by Kenning. Thats Rivington Pike in the background.

Thanks:
Carl Ryding for correcting the ownership details.
“J B” for the info about Peter Kay
Richard Tysoe for more info about Peter Kay

 

2 Comments

  1. Visited during the summer. Now rebranded as Rivington Services and owned by Euro Garage (with a green eG logo). Whole area has been demolished and rebuilt with a subway, starbucks, Spar shop and Burger king. Being build at the same time was a travelodge (or similar)

    Site clean and airy, feels more like a French/German MSA

  2. I’ve used both north and southbound, and they are excellent. Clean, spacious and welcoming; the HGV diesel pumps are easy to get to (surprisingly difficult in some places!), and best of all, the prices in the Spar shops aren’t jacked up to ridiculous levels.
    It doesn’t get 5 stars from me YET, until they finish off the shambles that is the northbound truck park. Unlit, a fair trek from the building, and sporting non-existent surfacing and tank-trap sized potholes. Hopefully they’ll finish it, and it’ll be 5 stars from me!

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