Moto
The Largest UK operator with 47 sites. Owned since mid 2006 by a consortium led by
Australian investment bank Macquarrie.
Started life as new interest for Granada- the Cinema/Bingo &ITV company and slowly built new sites and aquired other
smaller chains. Granada merged with Compass in 2000, then demerged, but the hospitality parts of Granadas
business went to Compass Group, so the sites rebranded as MOTO. Travelodge and Little Chef brands also
became part of Compass PLC.
Has purchased many sites and other chains, and allegedly been instructed by the
government to "shrink" several times! Won "Tommys Parent Friendly Awards" 2004. In 2003 built upon its
existing deal with Marks & Spencer to provide food to Compass run railway stations by putting Marks
And Spencer Food outlets into several Moto sites. In Dec 2002, sold Little Chef (all 328 of them) and
Travelodge to Permira for £712m. September 2005: Compass starts to struggle and wants to sell off
Moto. 10 April 2006: Compass sells off Moto
to consortium lead by Macquarrie for £1,882 million.
In 2026 became the first MSA to become a CPO (Charge point operator) and launched Moto
Charge.
Web site: www.moto-way.com & www.compass-group.co.uk
Welcome Break
Initially part of the Hanson Group (through Imperial Group PLC), Welcome Break was
purchased by Trusthouse Forte in 1986. With 27 UK sites, Welcome Break have recently spent a huge amount
of money upgrade their sites. They also have meeting rooms at various services.
Fortes (the Hotel Chain) diversified into the "new" business of running a MSA, branded
as Forte (Later Trusthouse Forte). Taken over by Granada in 1995 for 3.9 Billion pounds. Monopolies and
Mergers commission didn't like the size of the resulting company, so most Welcome break sites sold in Feb
97 to Investcorp of Bahrain.
As of Summer 2006, seems to be experimenting with a new look at Fleet which was rolled out to all sites. In March 2008, it was sold for
£500 million to Appia Investments.
Web site: www.welcomebreak.co.uk
RoadChef
Operates 21 sites, including the newest in the UK on the M6 Toll. Acquired several sites
and upgraded many others sites almost continuously since late 90's. Started by Linley Catering in 1972,
Sold to a management Buyout in 1983 Acquired by Nikko Europe Plc in 1998 for £240 million. Nikko
sold RoadChef to Israel property firm Delek for £375 Million in 2007.
Web Site: www.roadchef.com
Westmoorland
Own two all purpose sites, and a truck stop, along with other local businesses.
Dedicated to local products and local style, a very unique stop. Westmorland was founded by the Dunning
family (who owned the land the motorway was built through) and also by 2 directors of Penrith based bakers
Birketts who had shops all over Cumbria, North Lancs and southern Scotland. Certain head office functions
for Westmoorland were done at Birketts HQ eg- Accounts, Payroll but after the sale of Birketts to Greggs
PLC all head office matters were moved to to a newly built office block behind the forecourt building at
Tebay West. This office block is known as Westmoorland Place- although some
such as Marketing are now handled at Rheged.
Built the Rheged Discovery Centre or Rheged Village
in The Hill was opened off the A66 near Penrith. This is the largest grass covered building in the UK and
comprises a 260 seater cinema, restaurants, bar, local specialty shops, tourist information center,
children's play area, The National Mountaineering Exhibition and Texaco petrol station.
Web site: www.westmorland.com
First
Has 2 sites, Bolton West on the M61, and Magor on the M4,
which were purchased from Granada in 1996 for 8.6 million pounds, after Granada purchased Pavilion.
Cairn Lodge
Owns 1 site - Happendon /Cairn Lodge on the M74. Now owned by Westmorland but still its
own entitiy. See the story on the Happendon Page
Poplar 2000
Run a large truckstop at J20 on the M6