Burtonwood

Burtonwood

Welcome Break

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Location:

M62 at J8

Signposted from the road? As Starbucks/KFC

Postcode:

WA5 3AX

map and directions

Access/Layout:

Single site located at a junction..

Rating: See the reviews

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.

Facilities

Catering: KFC, Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks on the Go Shops: WHSmith Amenities: Showers, Welcome Break Gaming : none Template:Charging points Forecourt: Shell, Select, Template:The Deli, Costa Express, Yorkshire Tea, Air1 AdBlue

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 £26 (or £28 to include a £10 meal voucher).

Prices can be paid in the shop, with instructions in each car park. They are strictly enforced by ParkingEye.

Contact Details

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

• 🌍 Official Welcome Break Website
• Facebook Page
• Foursquare Page
  
  
• 📞 Telephone number: 01925 651656
• 📌 what3words: ///resettle.circular.overt
• more map options

Trivia and Design

The eastbound side in 1983.

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Many more photos in the gallery

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Opened by Trusthouse Forte 1974

Re-branded Motor Chef 1974

Re-branded Welcome Break 1988

Westbound abandoned 2008

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.

The then-Prime Minister David Cameron visited Burtonwood in July 2014.

A Starbucks Drive Thru is planned to be built at the back of the car park.

History

See also: M62 Service Area Planning

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 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

The abandoned westbound services before it was demolished.

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.

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 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.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that Welcome Break still refer to the amenity building internally as "Burtonwood North". Some publications even referred to the non-existent "Burtonwood South".

Eastbound Refurbishment

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.

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.

Alternatives

Previous:		Next:
none	Services on the M62	Birch (20 miles) Lymm (M6 south, 10 miles) Knutsford (M6 south, 15 miles) Charnock Richard (M6 north, 20 miles)
none	Welcome Break services	Hartshead Moor (44 miles) Charnock Richard (M6 north, 20 miles)

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