Motorway Services Online

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Burtonwood: Difference between revisions

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|type = motorway
|type = motorway
|operator = Welcome Break
|operator = Welcome Break
|image = Burtonwood 2019.jpg
|image = Burtonwood 2024.jpg
|road = [[M62]] at J8
|road = [[M62]] at J8{{newline}}(also accessible to traffic on the A5280, A5281 and the A5282)
|postcode = WA5 3AX
|postcode = WA5 3AX
|telephone = 01925 651656
|signposted = Yes (as [[Starbucks]]/[[KFC]])
|signposted = As [[Starbucks]]/[[KFC]]
|stype = Single site located at a junction
|stype = Single site located at a junction.
|rating = Burtonwood
|rating = Burtonwood
|coords = 53.417238, -2.637942
|coords = 53.417238, -2.637942
|briefroad = M62 at J8
|briefroad = M62 at J8
|foursquare = 511e5941f31c112a51eb11e8
|markerpost = 024 }}
|markerpost = 024 }}


Now just a shadow of the two buildings it once was, this has made Burtonwood more manageable and more pleasant, if not a little harder to find.
After two buildings became one, Burtonwood has become more manageable and more pleasant, albeit a little harder to find.


==Facilities==
==Facilities==
{{Coronavirus|14 May 2020}}
{{facilities| Catering | {{KFC}}, {{Starbucks}}, {{Krispy Kreme}}, {{Starbucks on the Go}}, {{Yorkshire Tea}} }}
{{Facilities| Restaurants | {{Starbucks on the Go}} }}
{{facilities| Shops | {{WHSmith}} }}
{{Facilities| Shops | {{WHSmith}} }}
{{facilities| Amenities | {{Game Zone}}, {{Revolution Laundry}}, Showers }}
{{Facilities| Amenities | Showers }}
{{facilities| Outdoor Space | Grass area around building }}
{{Facilities| Hotel | none }}
{{facilities| Charging Points | GRIDSERVE Electric Highway 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO & 22kW Type 2; Tesla Supercharger 150kW CCS }}
{{charging points| Ecotricity, Tesla Supercharger }}
{{facilities| Forecourt | {{Welcome Break}}, {{Phat Pasty}}, {{Rollover}}, {{Starbucks on the Go}} }}
{{Facilities| Forecourt | {{Shell}}, [[Select]], {{Costa Express}}, {{Yorkshire Tea}}, Air1 AdBlue }}


==Parking Prices==
==Parking Prices==
First two hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £15 for a further 24 hours and HGVs, caravans and coaches must pay £26 (or £28 to include a £10 meal voucher).
First 2 hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £15 for a further 24 hours and HGVs, caravans and coaches must pay £30 (or £32 to include a £12 meal voucher).
 
Prices can be paid in the shop or by using [https://evologyparking.com/app/ Evology Parking]. The location code is 79389.
 
The fees are strictly enforced by [[ParkingEye]].


Prices can be paid in the shop, with instructions in each car park. They are strictly enforced by [[ParkingEye]].
{{Parking Disclaimer}}


==Contact Details==
==Contact Details==
Line 40: Line 41:
WA5 3AX
WA5 3AX
|telephone = 01925 651656
|telephone = 01925 651656
|gridref = SJ576913
|facebook = welcomebreakburtonwood
|facebook = welcomebreakburtonwood
|website = http://www.welcomebreak.co.uk/locations/burtonwood/ Official Welcome Break Website
|website = https://www.welcomebreak.co.uk/locations/burtonwood/ Official Welcome Break/Burtonwood website
|foursquare = 511e5941f31c112a51eb11e8
|foursquare = 511e5941f31c112a51eb11e8
|3words = resettle.circular.overt
|3words = ownership.owners.majority
}}
}}


==Trivia and Design==
==Trivia and Design==
For westbound traffic, the route to get in the services involves effectively U-turning at the complicated J8 roundabout. For local residents, this means accessing the services involves a few hundred yards of motorway only. When exiting, a long road back to the roundabout is used, which at night is extremely popular with rabbits.
[[File:Burtonwood westbound 8.jpg|250px|thumb|right|alt=A cardboard road sign saying: Services with access to M62 Liverpool.|A sign tries to help lost customers in the closed westbound car park.]]
 
{{fulldetails|History:Burtonwood}}
The then-Prime Minister David Cameron visited Burtonwood in July 2014.
Burtonwood is an odd experience, partly down to the fact that a whole new interchange has been built across its entrance, and also strange because half of it has been demolished. What's left is a very compact building with a distinctive tall roof, and only limited facilities.
 
A [[Starbucks Drive Thru]] is planned to be built at the back of the car park.
 
===History===
{{Gallery
|image = Burtonwood westbound 1.jpg
|size = 250
|caption = The abandoned westbound services before it was demolished.
|keydates = {{Key Date | 1974 | Opened by [[Trusthouse Forte]] }}
{{Key Date | 1974 | Re-branded [[Motor Chef]] }}
{{Key Date | 1988 | Re-branded [[Welcome Break]] }}
{{Key Date | 2008 | Westbound abandoned }} }}
The service area originally consisted of two small, octagonal, pagoda-style buildings which were visible from the motorway. The design was supposed to make the most of the simple landscape at this large and exposed location, allowing the buildings to be clearly visible from the road. The roof would have been red, as an early attempt to advertise the owner's branding, but planning permission was refused and instead it was copper - soon colouring to its distinctive green.
 
Forte should not have been allowed the contract to build Burtonwood as they already owned [[Charnock Richard]]. However, due to the low traffic levels forecast, an exception was made to this [[Adjacency rule|rule]].
 
When Burtonwood first opened, the westbound side would close during winter, with pedestrians being sent through a subway under the road.
 
In 1977, [[Egon Ronay]] called it "pleasantly decorated", "comfortable" and "clean".
 
The motel was built in 1987. At the time each building had a [[The Granary]] restaurant and The Shop.
 
====Partial Closure====
Burtonwood had slowly become a very neglected service area. From day one its trade was described as "disappointing". It suffered a decline in quality like any service station, but the disappointing custom meant improvements didn't follow. It was further hurt when a new motorway exit was built right next door to serve the upcoming '''Omega''' development and Gemini Retail Park.


In 2008 the westbound building were boarded up and abandoned. Westbound traffic can access the eastbound services via the J8 roundabout (entrance) and the old emergency access road (exit back to J8). This set up was first suggested by Welcome Break in 2000 when the Highways Agency built the new J8, but it didn't happen until eight years later.
For westbound traffic, the route to get in the service area involves U-turning at the complicated J8 roundabout. When exiting, a long road back to the roundabout is used; it's a strange old emergency access that feels cut off from its urban surroundings and sometimes gets taken over by rabbits. An old direction sign can be seen from the rear of the Bombay 8 restaurant which is on the site of the old westbound complex.


Halving the site meant that some of the facilities had to be lost, including (unusually for a Welcome Break at the time), the lack of a [[Burger King]] or a [[Coffee Primo]].
The road between the roundabout and the service area, despite only being a few hundred yards and not touching the main M62, is under motorway regulations. This creates a curious legal situation where traffic has to leave the motorway, rejoin it, and then leave it again, while non-motorway traffic is unable to use the service area purely because of that short road.


The old westbound side was demolished in 2009 by Marshall and proposed for development including [[Travelodge]], [[Starbucks]] and a [[Harvester]] pub/restaurant, but the majority of it is set to become offices. Clues as to the original use can still be seen in the original road layout, albeit with the original motorway connection cut off.
Burtonwood remains the only Welcome Break site to offer a [[Yorkshire Tea]] machine within its WHSmith store, with the coach interchange on site apparently supplying the clientele.


====Eastbound Refurbishment====
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Welcome Break were under pressure to respond quickly, and accidentally published several documents which referred to the only remaining Burtonwood building as "Burtonwood North". In some cases they would even list the non-existent "Burtonwood South", prompting one to wonder just how out of date their internal records are. New stickers appeared on the entrance doors in 2023, now labelling the site as "Burtonwood East".
After the eastbound services became the only surviving side, it was thoroughly refurbished and its condition has been considerably better ever since. It doubles-up as a coach interchange too.


The [[Starbucks]] and [[KFC]] operate from the centre of the round building, with seating all around the side and toilets and [[WHSmith]] at the back.
Another forgotten element is that Burtonwood remains the only Welcome Break service area to use the old-style motorway signs (with symbols). Welcome Break had updated all the others in the early 2010s, but opted to leave Burtonwood out.


The four flagpoles next to the car park are the remains of a Welcome Break idea from 1991. These were originally intended to carry the Union Flag, the Welcome Break logo, the Queen's award for export and the Forte logo. The poles are currently bare.
Planning permission was held for a [[Starbucks Drive Thru]] to be built at the back of the car park in the late 2010s, but this has since expired.


==Alternatives==
==Alternatives==
{{Succession start}}
{{Succession start}}
{{Succession|1|M62| ''none'' |
{{Succession|1|M62| none |
[[Birch]] (20 miles){{newline}}[[Lymm]] (M6 south, 10 miles){{newline}}[[Knutsford]] (M6 south, 15 miles){{newline}}[[Charnock Richard]] (M6 north, 20 miles) }}
[[Birch]] (20 miles){{newline}}[[Lymm]] (M6 south, 10 miles){{newline}}[[Knutsford]] (M6 south, 15 miles){{newline}}[[Charnock Richard]] (M6 north, 20 miles){{newline}}[[Rising Bridge]] (A56 north, 34 miles) }}
{{Succession|2|Welcome Break| ''none'' |
{{Succession|2|Welcome Break| none |
[[Hartshead Moor]] (44 miles){{newline}}[[Charnock Richard]] (M6 north, 20 miles) }}
[[Hartshead Moor]] (44 miles){{newline}}[[Charnock Richard]] (M6 north, 20 miles) }}
</table>
</table>


{{bottomnav|version=new}}
{{bottomnav|version=new}}
[[Category:1970s]][[Category:M62]]
[[Category:1970s]][[Category:M62]][[Category:Major Changes]]

Latest revision as of 21:45, 10 March 2025

Burtonwood
Burtonwood services
Camera icon
Camera icon
Many more photos in the gallery
Location:

M62 at J8
(also accessible to traffic on the A5280, A5281 and the A5282)

Signposted from the road? Yes (as Starbucks/KFC)

Postcode:

WA5 3AX

map and directions

Access/Layout:

Single site located at a junction.

Rating: See the reviews


After two buildings became one, Burtonwood has become more manageable and more pleasant, albeit a little harder to find.

Facilities

Catering: KFC, Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks on the Go, Yorkshire Tea Shops: WHSmith Amenities: Game Zone, Revolution Laundry, Showers Outdoor Space: Grass area around building Charging Points: GRIDSERVE Electric Highway 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO & 22kW Type 2; Tesla Supercharger 150kW CCS Forecourt: Welcome Break, The Phat Pasty Co., Rollover, Starbucks on the Go

Parking Prices

First 2 hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £15 for a further 24 hours and HGVs, caravans and coaches must pay £30 (or £32 to include a £12 meal voucher).

Prices can be paid in the shop or by using Evology Parking. The location code is 79389.

The fees are strictly enforced by ParkingEye.

This information is provided to us by third parties. You should always check with staff on site.

Contact Details

🏢 Address:
Welcome Break Group Ltd
Burtonwood Motorway Services Area
M62
Great Sankey
Warrington
Cheshire
WA5 3AX


Trivia and Design

A cardboard road sign saying: Services with access to M62 Liverpool.
A sign tries to help lost customers in the closed westbound car park.

See also: History:Burtonwood

Burtonwood is an odd experience, partly down to the fact that a whole new interchange has been built across its entrance, and also strange because half of it has been demolished. What's left is a very compact building with a distinctive tall roof, and only limited facilities.

For westbound traffic, the route to get in the service area involves U-turning at the complicated J8 roundabout. When exiting, a long road back to the roundabout is used; it's a strange old emergency access that feels cut off from its urban surroundings and sometimes gets taken over by rabbits. An old direction sign can be seen from the rear of the Bombay 8 restaurant which is on the site of the old westbound complex.

The road between the roundabout and the service area, despite only being a few hundred yards and not touching the main M62, is under motorway regulations. This creates a curious legal situation where traffic has to leave the motorway, rejoin it, and then leave it again, while non-motorway traffic is unable to use the service area purely because of that short road.

Burtonwood remains the only Welcome Break site to offer a Yorkshire Tea machine within its WHSmith store, with the coach interchange on site apparently supplying the clientele.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Welcome Break were under pressure to respond quickly, and accidentally published several documents which referred to the only remaining Burtonwood building as "Burtonwood North". In some cases they would even list the non-existent "Burtonwood South", prompting one to wonder just how out of date their internal records are. New stickers appeared on the entrance doors in 2023, now labelling the site as "Burtonwood East".

Another forgotten element is that Burtonwood remains the only Welcome Break service area to use the old-style motorway signs (with symbols). Welcome Break had updated all the others in the early 2010s, but opted to leave Burtonwood out.

Planning permission was held for a Starbucks Drive Thru to be built at the back of the car park in the late 2010s, but this has since expired.

Alternatives

Previous:Next:
noneServices on the M62Birch (20 miles)
Lymm (M6 south, 10 miles)
Knutsford (M6 south, 15 miles)
Charnock Richard (M6 north, 20 miles)
Rising Bridge (A56 north, 34 miles)
noneWelcome Break servicesHartshead Moor (44 miles)
Charnock Richard (M6 north, 20 miles)

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