Welcome Break

Last updated

Welcome Break Limited
Company typePrivate company
IndustryMotorway Services
Founded1959
Headquarters Newport Pagnell, England, UK
Area served
 United Kingdom
Key people
John Diviney (CEO)
Revenue£630 million
Number of employees
4,500
Parent Applegreen
Website welcomebreak.co.uk

Welcome Break Limited [1] is a British motorway service station operator that operates 35 motorway service stations in England, Scotland and Wales. It is the second-largest motorway service area operator behind Moto. It also operates hotels and motels. It is the UK arm of Irish motorways services operator Applegreen.

Contents

History

The Welcome Break facility at Birchanger services, Essex, 2006. Welcome Break, Birchanger Green, 2006.JPG
The Welcome Break facility at Birchanger services, Essex, 2006.

Opened in 1959, the service area at Newport Pagnell on the M1 motorway near Milton Keynes by Motorway Services Ltd was the company's first service area under the Forte name and was the second service area to be constructed on the fledgling UK motorway network, however it was still the first to open.[ citation needed ] The name "Welcome Break" came from a chain of rival restaurants to Little Chef, created by Allen Jones. These restaurants eventually either became Happy Eaters or closed. The name was brought back when Hanson Trust renamed Ross Food's service stations. The company's portfolio was expanded to five motorway service areas during periods under the ownership of the Imperial Group and subsequently the Hanson Trust before being purchased by Trusthouse Forte in 1986. Under this deal, the Welcome Break name was adopted across the entire estate, with Trusthouse Forte's sixteen existing service areas re-branded.

Split from Trusthouse Forte

In January 1996, the Forte Group was the subject of a £3.9 billion hostile takeover by the British media group Granada. Due to Granada's existing major presence in the motorway services market, a subsequent investigation by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission ordered Granada to sell 27 of the Welcome Break sites. The company was eventually bought by Investcorp in 1997 for £476 million. [2] Investcorp then sold Welcome Break to Appia Investments in March 2008 for £500M. [2]

Applegreen ownership

In August 2018, petrol services operator Applegreen agreed to purchase the majority of Welcome Break for €361.8M. [3]

In 2025, Applegreen agreed to sell Petrogas Group to EG On the Move, Welcome Break was not part of the deal and will become the UK arm of Applegreen. [4] In the same month, Welcome Break announced a partnership with the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain, opening them in Lisburn and Templepatrick. [5]

Facilities

The main building at Welcome Break's Telford services WelcomeBreakTelford.jpg
The main building at Welcome Break's Telford services

The facilities available at Welcome Break service areas varies at each site, with most sites open 24 hours a day throughout the year. Typically, each service area comprises a café or restaurant, a retail outlet, a hotel and a petrol station. Most sites have WHSmith, a food court comprising popular fast food outlets such as Burger King, KFC and Subway, a coffee shop (Starbucks), and a Welcome Break branded petrol station.

Hotels

The majority of hotels at Welcome Break service areas are franchises of Days Inn or Ramada; many of these were once branded under Welcome Break's own brand, "Welcome Lodge"; the last of these, at Newport Pagnell and Charnock Richard, were rebranded to Days Inns in May 2009 and also took over operation of three former PURPLE hotels at Cambridge, Peterborough, and Stevenage in July 2009, each three have reopened as Days Inn taking its total to 26. In September 2012, Welcome Break opened a Days Inn at the new Cobham Service area on the M25, and 2013 saw a rebrand of Days Hotel London North and Days Inn London Stansted into Ramada hotels. In December 2014, Welcome Break purchased Days Hotel Wakefield, and after a full refurbishment it was reopened as Ramada Wakefield in January 2015.

Catering

When Welcome Break chain was sold by Granada, branches of Little Chef at those sites were replaced a similar table service restaurant, Red Hen. High prices earned the chain the nickname "Little Thief". [6]

Eat In became Welcome Break's own brand self-service restaurant. However, these have since been replaced with food courts, featuring a selection of brands varying from location to location:

WHSmith

Recently, Welcome Break service areas have followed the industry-wide trend towards partnership with High Street brands. W H Smith stores have been introduced at the majority of Welcome Break sites as a replacement for the traditional unbranded retail outlets. [10] Initially launched as a trial store at the Newport Pagnell site in February 2007, W H Smith stores have now been rolled out across the Welcome Break portfolio. [10]

Fone Bitz

Fone Bitz sell electronics across the motorway network and operate at most Welcome Break sites.[ citation needed ] Fone Bitz sell a range of Mobile Phone, iPad, iPod, Laptop, electronic and car accessories in general.

Welcome Break Gaming

Welcome Break Gaming is a self branded betting arcade located at all Welcome Break sites, except the Welcome Break operated Days Inn hotels and motels.

Gridserve (previously Ecotricity)

In July 2011 it was announced that the green energy provider Ecotricity will be providing fast and normal electric vehicle charging stations at Welcome Break service stations as part of its 'Electric highway' network, linking London in the south with Exeter in the west and Edinburgh in the north. [11]

In July 2021, it was announced that Gridserve had purchased Ecotricity's "Electric Highway" charging network. Gridserve agreed to maintain the network's relationship with Welcome Break, and will start updating charge points to include contactless payment and faster chargers [12]

However, whilst other MSAs were rapidly upgraded, by Christmas of 2021 Gridserve had been unable to upgrade any of the Welcome Break sites. Speculation online that Welcome Break were blocking them from doing so was given credence by the installation at South Mimms of EV chargers bearing the Welcome Break brand. [13]

Welcome Break logo until September 2006. Welcome Break logo.png
Welcome Break logo until September 2006.
Welcome Break logo used from 2006 to 2020 Welcome Break logo.svg
Welcome Break logo used from 2006 to 2020

Welcome Break introduced a new company logo in September 2006. The swan, integral to the previous company logo, has been removed. The new logo features a black background with the words 'welcome' and 'break' in green and white respectively. Each site now also has a large mural depicting a local landmark unique to that site. Many of these were commissioned from artist David Fisher. [14]

In 2020, the logo was updated to be similar to the Applegreen logo.

Locations

England, Scotland and Wales

Northern Ireland (branded as Applegreen)

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Forte, Baron Forte</span> British/Italian caterer and hotelier (1908–2007)

Charles Carmine Forte, Baron Forte was an Italian-born Scottish hotelier who founded the leisure and hotels conglomerate that ultimately became the Forte Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rest area</span> Public area, usually adjacent to limited-access highway, used for rest from travel

A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway service area (UK), services (UK), travel plaza, rest stop, oasis (US), service area, rest and service area (RSA), resto, service plaza, lay-by, and service centre (Canada). Facilities may include park-like areas, fuel stations, public toilets, water fountains, restaurants, and dump and fill stations for caravans / motorhomes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hopwood Park services</span> Motorway service station in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England

Hopwood Park services is a motorway service station in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England situated off Junction 2 of the M42 motorway on the A441 road to Redditch south of Birmingham. It opened in August 1999. Services include a Shell Petrol Station, Waitrose, Starbucks Coffee, WHSmith, and KFC. Electric Vehicle charging is provided by Gridserve and Tesla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy Eater</span> Defunct British roadside restaurant chain

Happy Eater was a chain of restaurants in England and Wales. Founded by Sir Michael Pickard in 1973, the chain wanted to compete against the British roadside restaurant category killer at the time, Little Chef. The chain was acquired by Little Chef's parent company, Trusthouse Forte, in August 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keele services</span> Motorway service station in Staffordshire, England

Keele services is a motorway service station, between junctions 15 and 16 of the M6 motorway near Keele in England. Operated by Welcome Break, it was built in 1963 and was designed by Terence Verity of Verity Associates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moto Hospitality</span> British motorway service station operator

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<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charnock Richard services</span> Motorway service area in Lancashire, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newport Pagnell services</span> Motorway services in Buckinghamshire, England

Newport Pagnell Services is a motorway service station between junctions 14 and 15 of the M1 motorway near Newport Pagnell in the City of Milton Keynes, north Buckinghamshire, England. It is owned and operated by Welcome Break.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleet services</span> English motorway service station

Fleet Services is a motorway service station on the M3 near Fleet. It is operated by Welcome Break.

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

Woodall services is a motorway service station on the M1 motorway in Rotherham close to Sheffield in England. It lies between junctions 30 and 31. It was opened in 1968 by Trust House Forte but was renamed Welcome Break after the takeover of the company. It takes its name from the nearby village of Woodall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorway service area</span> Rest areas in the UK and Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forte Group</span> British hotel and restaurant company

Forte Group plc was a British hotel and restaurant company. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index until it was acquired by Granada in 1996. Its head office was in the London Borough of Camden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extra (service areas)</span> British company operating service stations

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Chef</span> Former UK restaurant chain

Little Chef was a British chain of roadside restaurants; founded in 1958 by Sam Alper and Peter Merchant who were inspired by American diners. The chain was famous for the "Olympic Breakfast" – its version of a full English breakfast – as well as its "Early Starter" and "Jubilee Pancakes". The restaurants were mostly located on A roads, often paired with a Travelodge motel, a Burger King and a petrol station. The chain was also located along motorways in Moto Services, for a time.

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

Burtonwood services is a motorway service station on the M62 in Cheshire, near Warrington in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Applegreen</span> Service station chain operating in Ireland, the UK and the USA

Applegreen Limited is an Irish company founded in 1992 that operates 620 petrol stations in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain and the United States. It is a major petrol retailer in Ireland, and operates convenience stores and motorway service areas. Applegreen's headquarters are based in Park West Business Park in Dublin, Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrybridge services</span> Motorway service area in Yorkshire, England

Ferrybridge services is a motorway services area (MSA) operated by Moto named after Ferrybridge in West Yorkshire, England. The site has easy access from the M62 motorway and the A1(M) motorway. Originally opened in 1985 under the Granada brand, the MSA at Ferrybridge has been under the Moto brand since 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vale of York services</span> Future motorway service area in England

The Vale of York services is a future motorway service area (MSA) on the A1(M) in North Yorkshire, England. The MSA will be located on the western side of the motorway between Junctions 48 and 49, with access to both the northbound and southbound carriageways. The planning application has been submitted multiple times between 2001 and 2021.

References

  1. ↑ "WELCOME BREAK LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House . 30 June 1983. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Motorway services provider Welcome Break sold". Caterer Search. Retrieved 11 July 2006.
  3. ↑ Hipwell, Deirdre (3 August 2018). "Applegreen reverses into motorway service area" . The Times. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  4. ↑ "Applegreen to sell UK filling stations to focus on bigger sites". Irish Independent. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  5. ↑ McLaughlin, Sophie (16 January 2025). "First NI Chick-fil-A store set to open later this month". Belfast Live. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  6. ↑ Duncan Angwin; Stephen Cummings; Chris Smith (12 December 2011). The Strategy Pathfinder: Core Concepts and Live Cases. John Wiley & Sons. p. 307. ISBN   978-1-119-99588-3.
  7. ↑ KFC Archived 9 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine , Welcome Break, UK.
  8. ↑ Welcome Break joins KFC to bypass ad ban, CatererSearch, 26 May 2005.
  9. ↑ Staff, Generation95 (31 December 2020). "Why Did the McDonald's at Fleet Services Close?". Generation95. Retrieved 18 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. 1 2 WH Smith to open 33 travel stores at Welcome Break motorway service areas [ dead link ], Forbes.com , 05/02/07.
  11. ↑ "ConnEVted: UK's 'first electric highway' announced". Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  12. ↑ grid-editor (8 June 2021). "GRIDSERVE | Ecotricity completes Electric Highway sale to GRIDSERVE" . Retrieved 19 December 2021.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  13. ↑ SpeakEV forum
  14. ↑ In 2020 the logo was remade with a new font and is no longer in all capital letters.David Fisher — Somerset Artist Archived 25 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine .

Further reading

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