Original owner: Forte
Renamed: 1999 as London Gateway
Current Owner: Welcome Break
Location: Between Junction 2 and Junction 4.
Trivia:
A one site services, located on the Northbound side but accessible by southbound traffic by a bridge.
At the site of the non-existent Junction 3. Originally, J3 was to be a link road between M1 and A1. This was never built. The bridge was then used for the services- allowing southbound traffic across the motorway to the services.
Built on a disused railway yard.
A study by University College in London found that the first services outside a city gained 50% more trade than others. so Fortes went to town in designing this site, as both an advertisment for other Fortes services, and also learning by the mistakes of the other sites that had been developed in the 1960s.
In 2002 opened a 202-bedroom Days Inn hotel costing 10 Million pounds.
"What do you mean you want to cancel our free breakfast "arrangement". Especially as my finger is dangerously near the fire button..."
Martin writes: (2018)They can rebrand it as many times as they like, but I will always call it “Scratchwood”…always have done…always will do.
Robbie wrote in 2015:I remember stopping at Scratchwood Services when I drove to Northampton from East Sussex during the 1970,s and early 1980,s. Had to drive through London in those days as M25 was not completed. Being close to the start of the M1 in London, Scratchwood was a welcome stop for a comfort break and cup of tea.
Current:
recently redeveloped as part of the re-branding and renamed as London
Gateway
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)
Still has a Sheerings Coaches interchange
Thanks:
Phil Reynolds