Blackburn with Darwen services
M65 at J4
(also accessible to traffic on the A666)
Signposted from the road.
BB3 0DB
map and directions
Single site located at a junction..
The M65's only signposted service station, which is owned by McDonald's but leased to Extra, who themselves sub-let the retail units out.
Facilities
Catering: Costa Coffee, Chopstix Noodle Bar, Greggs, McDonald's Drive Thru Shops: none Amenities: Meeting Room, Quicksilver, Showers : Travelodge Template:Charging points Forecourt: Shell, Select, Deli by Shell, Costa Express, Air1 AdBlue, Car Wash, Jet Wash, Free Cash Machine
Parking Prices
First 3 hours free for all vehicles, after which charges apply:
Up to 4 hours (including free period): £9 Up to 6 hours: £20 Up to 8 hours: £27 Up to 15 hours: £30 Up to 24 hours: £35 Up to 48 hours: £48 Up to 72 hours: £90 Each additional 24 hours or part: £35 Trailer swaps: £15
Prices are paid at the parking machines in the car park and food court, and can be paid using GBP, Euros, using fuel cards or SNAP.
This information is provided to us by third parties. You should always check with staff on site.
Contact Details
🏢 Address:
Commercial Road
Darwen
Lancashire
BB3 0DB
- Amenity building operated by Extra
- Costa and Greggs stores operated by Moto
- Hotel operated by Travelodge
- Forecourt operated by Shell
- Foursquare Page
- 📞 Telephone number: 01494 678876
- 📌 what3words: ///packet.upper.eagle
- more map options
Trivia and History
The former Co-op.
The design of the building is odd in offering several entrances depending on the facility desired, including what used to be a full supermarket unit.
Although inter-connected, the McDonald's unit is built completely differently, and unlike the rest of the building it doesn't have the hotel sitting above it.
Opening and Name
A document dated 1991 says that there would be a new service area at "Blackburn S". The motorway itself didn't open until 1997, so very little work on a possible service area was done.
The Department of Transport stopped being involved in service area planning in 1992. No mention was made of Blackburn, probably because there had been no work to pass on. Instead private companies used their new powers to put forward several options for new service areas, which were examined.
These included suggested sites near Preston, plus Antler Project Management Ltd's plan to build north of M65 J5, dated 1992. Meanwhile M65 J4 had been identified as being suitable for a commercial development. The M65 had been designed to attract new development, so there was no shortage of feasible locations.
Meanwhile, Shaftesbury Commercial Properties Ltd planned a site for business, industry, restaurants, a hotel, housing and a petrol station in the area around Oakencroft Farm in 1991. They referred to this as Earcroft. This took until 1995 to be approved, but the Department of Transport confirmed that they were treating it as a potential motorway service area, which they referred to as Blackburn South services.
Petromar Plc took forward that service area proposal in 1999. The name Blackburn Interchange was used, presumably because it was intended to act as an economy-stimulating gateway to the town.
When the service area eventually opened in 2002, it was signed as Blackburn services, and all its branding referred to McDonald's. As the site was actually slightly over the border into Darwen it became a local political hate figure. After several lengthy meetings and even a few discussions in Parliament, the service area was renamed Blackburn with Darwen in 2005: the old name could still be seen behind the signs.
The Shell filling station includes one of Shell's retail learning centres.
Brand Changes
The services opened with a Little Chef which closed in 2005. When it opened Little Chef marketed it as a replacement for the Samlesbury branch on the A677, which they said was too small.
The filling station used to be BP with a Somerfield store. As with all Extra services, this was switched to Shell in 2008.
Moto added Greggs and Costa units here on 6 November 2012, replacing the former LP4 unit.
This site used to be home to the only full-sized Somerfield essentials supermarket on the motorway network. This was rebranded to Co-op Food following the merger in 2009 but was eventually replaced by Budgens in 2016 following a corporate sale. Budgens later closed on 27 February 2017 as the franchisee which operated the store went bankrupt. In an attempt to offer some sort of shopping facility, a franchised discount retailer, Family Shopper, opened within the amenity building in 2018 but this was later forcibly closed by Extra in February 2019 following rent arrears on the lease of the unit.
The Chopstix Noodle Bar closed in March 2020 following the coronavirus lockdown and remained closed throughout the remainder of 2020 and 2021 before finally reopening on 2 December 2021 following a small refurbishment; Chopstix's final unit to reopen following easing of lockdown restrictions.
Alternatives
| Previous: | Next: | |
| none on M65 Lancaster (M6 north, 27 miles) Charnock Richard (M6 south, 15 miles) Rivington (M61, 16 miles) | Services on the M65 | none on M65 Birch (M62 east, 21 miles) Tickled Trout (M6 north, 10 miles) |
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