Grantham North services

Last updated

Grantham North Services
Moto Grantham North services.jpg
The main services building
Lincolnshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Grantham North Services
Location within Lincolnshire
Information
County Lincolnshire
Road A1
Coordinates: 52°56′52″N0°40′44″W / 52.9477°N 0.6788°W / 52.9477; -0.6788
Operator Moto Hospitality
Date opened1 January 1964
Website moto-way.com/services/grantham-north/

Grantham North Services is a service area operated by Moto located on the A1 at Gonerby Moor Roundabout, four miles north of Grantham in Lincolnshire, England. The service station has a main car park and coach/lorry park, off which is a BP petrol station.

Contents

It lies in the parish of Great Gonerby, south of College Farm. It is the only motorway service station in Lincolnshire, which has no motorways (excluding North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire). Very few people refer to it as Grantham North, and is ubiquitously known as the Gonerby Moor Service Area.

History

Main building Moto services Gonnerby Moor Grantham - geograph.org.uk - 1301709.jpg
Main building

Tony's Cafe

Tony's cafe cost £120,000 in 1963 [1] The planning for the new service area was discussed at a West Kesteven planning meeting on Saturday 25 January 1963, with chairman Wing Commander Albert McCreary, of Hough-on-the-Hill. [2]

The site opened on Wednesday 1 January 1964. [3] On the new Gonerby site would be a transport cafe, and a restaurant for the lounge suit and cardigan crowd, as the two groups of people, if using the same restaurant, would just make one another uncomfortable. The new plans for the 13 acre site included a motel; Tony Wakley had toured the US, to look at motels. He wanted to build a transport cafe to be more like a workers canteen.

The two owners were Anthony George Wakley (22 January 1921 - 15 September 1997) and Phillip Edward Wakley. From around 1952, their previous site was known as Tony's Place; this former site served around 2,000 to 3,000 meals a day. [4]

Phillip married Ethel Haddock at St Botolph's Church, Boston on 31 July 1943, with Tony being best man; Phillip (3 October 1920 - 18 August 1982) also worked at BMARC; before the war, Phillip had worked as a joiner in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. [5] [6]

Tony married on Monday 27 December 1943 to Phyllis Dawson, of the Seacroft Hotel of Drummond Road in Skegness, when Tony was a Corporal in the RAF, at St Matthew's church in Skegness. [7] His parents lived on Oakleigh Road, off Dysart Road, in Grantham, but he grew up in Stickford. [8] Both brothers were scouts in the 1st Stickford Group. [9] Tony also owned Westgate Fisheries in Grantham, which opened on 10 February 1948. [10] Bad weather and Blue Lias clay held up bypass in 1961. [11]

His mother, Alice, ran the cafe at night. Ministry of Transport figures found that around 30% of HGVs on the A1 stopped at Tony's Cafe; Tony's Cafe was almost as well known on the A1 as Watford Gap services was on the M1. In 1964 a breakfast at Tony's Cafe could cost 2s 3d, which was good value. The cafe was discussed in the House of Commons on 17 February 1964 at around 10pm, with Farthing Corner and Newport Pagnell. [12] The filling station would be built later. The site was 14 acres, in a Swedish-style, with 26 staff.

The service area had many pint mugs go missing, as souvenirs, in 1967, so car drivers were only allowed half-pint mugs. [13] [14] [15]

In 1968 Tony applied for a table drinks licence for the restaurant. [16] and on Thursday 18 April 1968, Spitalgate licensing magistrates agreed to his application. [17]

Trust House Forte

The site was owned by Trust House Forte in the 1980s and 1990s, under their Welcome Break group.

Forte opened the redeveloped site in early 1972 as Grantham Service Area. [18] The Little Chef opened in September 1980; the Little Chef closed in 2008. [19] The Granary Self Service opened in 1984, being open 24 hours, and seated 162. In 1985 the site served 2.5m people. It was known as Motor Chef in the 1980s; Motor Chef was started by THF in 1974; by 1979, there were 14 Motor Chefs across the country.

In the early 1970s, the site had a RAC service centre, with a transmitter on Gonerby Hill, and microwave direct link to Copt Oak, on the M1.

Redevelopment

The service area was much redeveloped in January 1986, to largely what it now is. [20] It became Welcome Break from June 1988. All THF service stations became Welcome Break at the end of May 1988. [21] Until then, Welcome Break had five service stations (former Ross), being headquartered at Leicester Forest East from 1984, being bought by THF for £190m on 21 July 1986. [22] [23]

It became Granada Hospitality by 1996. The site was known as Grantham North from 1998, or thereabouts.

Transport

The service station is now accessed via a grade separated junction on the A1 after the original Gonerby Moor roundabout was improved during 2008.

The Grantham South services (opened on Tuesday 5 September 1989 [24] ) are at Colsterworth, also owned by Moto, and included a Little Chef. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A52 road</span> Major road in the East Midlands of England

The A52 is a major road in the East Midlands, England. It runs east from a junction with the A53 at Newcastle-under-Lyme near Stoke-on-Trent via Ashbourne, Derby, Stapleford, Nottingham, West Bridgford, Bingham, Grantham, Boston and Skegness to the east Lincolnshire coast at Mablethorpe. It is approximately 147 miles (237 km) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belmont transmitting station</span> Broadcasting and telecommunications facility in Lincolnshire, England

The Belmont transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility next to the B1225, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the village of Donington on Bain in the civil parish of South Willingham, near Market Rasen and Louth in Lincolnshire, England. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Lincolnshire is a large county in England with a sparse population distribution, which leads to problems funding all sorts of transport. The transport history is long and varied, with much of the road network still based on the Roman model, and the once extensive rail network a shadow of its former self.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester Forest East services</span> Services on the M1 motorway, UK

Leicester Forest East services is a motorway service station situated between junctions 21 and 21A of the M1 motorway, near Leicester, England.

BMARC was a UK-based firm designing and producing defence products, particularly aircraft cannon and naval anti-aircraft cannon. It was based on a 60-acre (24 ha) site on Springfield Road in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poacher Line</span> Railway line in Lincolnshire, England

The Grantham–Skegness line, promoted originally as the Poacher Line, runs for 55 miles (89 km) between Grantham and Skegness in Lincolnshire, England. Trains on this route generally operate hourly from Nottingham to Skegness via the Nottingham to Grantham Line, with additional slower stopping services at peak times. The line is operated by East Midlands Railway, using Class 170 Turbostar and Class 158 Express Sprinter diesel multiple units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radcliffe railway station</span> Train station in Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire

Radcliffe railway station (also known as Radcliffe-on-Trent and Radcliffe (Notts)) serves the village of Radcliffe-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, England. It lies on the Nottingham to Grantham Line, 5 miles (8 km) east of Nottingham. Services run to Nottingham, Grantham, Boston and Skegness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aslockton railway station</span> Railway station in Nottinghamshire, England

Aslockton railway station serves the English villages of Aslockton and Whatton-in-the-Vale in Nottinghamshire. It also draws passengers from other nearby villages. It is 10 miles east of Nottingham on the Nottingham–Skegness Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleaford railway station</span> Railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Sleaford railway station serves the town of Sleaford in Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the Peterborough–Lincoln line. The station is 21 miles (34 km) south of Lincoln Central.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston railway station</span> Railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Boston railway station serves the town of Boston in Lincolnshire, England. It is a stop on the Poacher Line, which connects Grantham with Skegness. The station is owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Railway, who provide all rail services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wainfleet railway station</span> Railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Wainfleet railway station serves the town of Wainfleet All Saints in Lincolnshire, England. It is a stop on the Poacher Line between Skegness and Grantham; it is located 5 miles (8 km) west of Skegness. The station is owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Railway, which provides all rail services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School</span> Grammar school in Lincolnshire, England

Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School (KGGS) is a grammar school with academy status for girls in Grantham, Lincolnshire, established in 1910. It has over 1000 pupils ranging from ages 11 to 18, and has its own sixth form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC East Midlands</span>

BBC East Midlands is the BBC English Region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, South Kesteven in Lincolnshire and some northern parts of Northamptonshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trowell services</span>

Trowell services is a motorway service station off the M1 motorway in Trowell, Nottinghamshire, England, situated north of Junction 25. Opened in 1967 by Mecca Leisure, it is currently owned by Moto. The services are situated near Nottingham.

Grantham College is a further education and Sixth Form college in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Gonerby</span> Village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England

Great Gonerby is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 2,200. It is situated less than 1 mile (1.6 km) north from Grantham. To its north is Gonerby Moor, part of Great Gonerby civil parish, and the A1 road. It is 330 feet (101 m) above sea level and overlooks the Vale of Belvoir to the west and Grantham to the south.

The Ambergate, Nottingham and Boston and Eastern Junction Railway was a British railway company, which hoped to connect Lancashire with the port of Boston, in Lincolnshire, England. It was authorised in 1846 but was unable to raise much money. It opened a standard gauge line from a junction near Nottingham to Grantham in 1853. At Nottingham it was to rely on the Midland Railway, but that company was hostile and obstructive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skegness Academy</span> Academy in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England

Skegness Academy is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.

Central Technology & Sports College was a secondary school in the north of Grantham in Lincolnshire, England. It became part of The Priory Ruskin Academy in 2010.

A.F. Budge was a British civil engineering and construction company based in Nottinghamshire. It built many sections of motorway in Yorkshire and the north Midlands.

References

  1. ↑ Nottingham Evening Post Thursday 28 June 1962, page 9
  2. ↑ Grantham Journal Friday 1 February 1963, page 4
  3. ↑ Nottingham Guardian Journal Thursday 2 January 1964, page 1
  4. ↑ The Guardian April 23 1963, page 14
  5. ↑ Lincolnshire Standard Saturday 7 August 1943, page 5
  6. ↑ Grantham Journal Friday 27 August 1982, page 7
  7. ↑ Skegness News Wednesday 29 December 1943, page 3
  8. ↑ Grantham Journal Friday 24 April 1981, page 19
  9. ↑ Lincolnshire Standard Saturday 22 April 1939, page 12
  10. ↑ Grantham Journal Friday 30 January 1948, page 1
  11. ↑ Nottingham Evening Post Thursday 11 October 1962, page 12
  12. ↑ February 1964 discussion
  13. ↑ Daily Herald Thursday 2 January 1964, page 7
  14. ↑ Nottingham Evening Post Friday 6 January 1967, page 18
  15. ↑ Daily Mirror Thursday 5 January 1967, page 10 'Pint mugs ban - for the toffs' (also includes unfortunate spelling error in the article)
  16. ↑ Grantham Journal Friday 29 March 1968, page 12
  17. ↑ Grantham Journal Friday 19 April 1968, page 2
  18. ↑ Nottingham Evening Post Saturday 29 January 1972, page 9
  19. ↑ Grantham Journal Friday 19 September 1980, page 11
  20. ↑ Grantham Journal Friday 24 January 1986, page 21
  21. ↑ Lincolnshire Echo Friday 27 May 1988, page 6
  22. ↑ The Scotsman Tuesday 22 July 1986, page 17
  23. ↑ Grimsby Evening Telegraph Monday 18 January 1988
  24. ↑ Grantham Journal Friday 1 September 1989, page 30
  25. ↑ "Grantham South". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.