Broxden services
A9 at M90 Broxden Roundabout
(also accessible to traffic on the A93)
Signposted from the road.
PH2 0PX
map and directions
Single site located at a junction.
Head as far north as a British motorway will take you, and you'll find Broxden services, an unusual set-up that just about clings on to the end of the M90.
Facilities
Catering: The Broxden Manor Harvester, McDonald's Drive Thru Amenities: Travelodge Outdoor Space: Wild meadow by hotel; picnic area by restaurant; public footpath connections Forecourt: BP, Londis, Subway, Calippo Slush, Costa Express, Dunkin' Donuts, f'real Milkshakes, Rollover
Parking Prices
Short stay customer parking is available for cars at all facilities, with short stay HGV parking available at the filling station.
No overnight parking is available.
This information is provided to us by third parties. You should always check with staff on site.
Contact Details
🏢 Address:
Broxden Services
2 Broxden Avenue
Perth
PH2 0PX
Trivia and History
As with many modern A-road service areas, Broxden services is really a piece of land close to a very busy roundabout which has been turned into a series of developments, including restaurants, a hotel and a park and ride site.
The fact that the Broxden Roundabout also serves the end of a link road that becomes the M90 means that Broxden can add "serving a motorway" to its résumé, and as a result many maps and websites will tell you that this is a motorway service area. This would make it the UK's most northerly.
While there is a sign for Broxden services on the motorway, that sign is coloured white, confirming that Broxden isn't a motorway service area but a local facility which is only supposed to be serving the A9. This is reflected in the facilities it offers. White signs aren't supposed to be used on motorways in the UK, but if there was ever a place that was going to make an exception, it would be right the way up here, on a link road at the far north of the UK motorway network.
Even among A-road sites, Broxden is laid out very strangely. The large forecourt has its own segment, but the thick trees make it seem completely separate from the restaurants. The park and ride site, also quite isolated, sits between the two segments. The spine road, Broxden Avenue, has space to serve two more segments, but the busy junction and long list of existing facilities means it is already very busy.
Planning and Operation
The Broxden Roundabout opened in 1978, but interest in building around it only grew in the 1990s, after the A9 bypass had been added to the junction.
Esso repeatedly applied for planning permission to build a large service area here. They were hindered by policy, because the local council and the national service station policy at the time both had a specific rule for the A9 that it shouldn't have any service areas, as people should be heading into the towns it bypasses instead.
They finally won planning permission following an appeal in 1998, but what actually materialised wasn't like a traditional service area, which was unlike impression the original plans had given. The service area opened with the Esso filling station, a Brewers Fayre restaurant which looked like a courtyard, a McDonald's drive-thru restaurant and a Travelodge hotel that was a rare example of their new 'urban lodge' design being used at a service area. These buildings were all placed at the bottom of the hill, with the access road along the top.
The Travelodge was expected to be joined by a Little Chef, but this didn't happen.
Before the service area opened, a few other developers attempted to get involved. Compass (the owners of Moto and other hospitality brands) then applied to build their own service area on the site in 2002.
The Brewers Fayre restaurant was one of 239 standalone restaurants to be acquired by Mitchell & Butlers in 2006, and they rebranded the restaurant to a Harvester. The McDonald's restaurant later received a refurbishment in 2011, reopening with a new outdoor seating area.
The forecourt was originally operated by Esso directly and included their own brand Snack & Shop store. It was acquired by MRH in 2016, who rebranded the store to SPAR and introduced a Subway franchise. MRH were acquired by MFG in 2018 and they rebranded the store to Budgens in 2020.
The Budgens store closed in January 2022, with temporary facilities being provided in portable buildings. The sales building reopened on 24 February 2022 as a Londis store with a refreshed Subway franchise and a number of new grab and go options. The forecourt was also rebranded from Esso to BP.
Following the forecourt refit, MFG won the Best Scottish Large Forecourt award at the Forecourt Trader Awards 2022. MFG now intend to add eight MFG EV Power electric vehicle chargers and two jet washes to the site on the current picnic area next to the sales building.
Alternatives
| Previous: | Next: | |
| Kinross (17 miles) | Services on the M90 | end of road |
| Balhaldie (23 miles) | Services on the A9 | Ballinluig (20 miles) |
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