West Wellow services
A36 Ower Roundabout
(also accessible to traffic on the A3090)
Signposted from the road.
SO51 6GF
map and directions
Single site located at a junction..
A small service area close to M27 J2.
Facilities
Catering: McDonald's Drive Thru Forecourt: Esso, Shop 'n Drive, Costa Express, West Cornwall Pasty Co, AdBlue Containers, Jet Wash
Contact Details
🏢 Address:
West Wellow Service Area
Romsey Road
Ower
Romsey
Hampshire
SO51 6GF
Trivia and History
Plans for a service area here were first raised in 1990, by EG Nash & Partners. They were only focused on building a Texaco forecourt, but they wanted it to be part of a "comprehensive TRSA", and published a number of indicative layouts showing a motorists' restaurant and several parking areas. At the time the roundabout served both the A36 and the A31, although the A31 here had already lost its status as an important route.
The plans showed the possibility of building a restaurant to the west, north or east. One of these, which may have been published prematurely, named the restaurant as an 80-seat Little Chef. This one included space for a Travelodge too. The plans also included a landscaped picnic area at the eastern end, by the River Blackwater, which was provided but quickly became overgrown and is now abandoned.
The service area was built on a long driveway with Shelley Nursery and some associated bungalows at the far end. Those bungalows can now only be accessed by driving through the service area. There was an additional house by the roundabout which had to be demolished.
In 1993, not long after the petrol station had opened, the restaurant partner was announced as McDonald's. Their restaurant opened shortly after.
In 1998 there was another attempt to build a Travelodge here, on the unused land at the western end of the site, but this was unable to secure planning permission.
The Star Market forecourt shop became a Somerfield, and then Co-op Food.
In November 2019, the petrol station was sold to Rontec and rebranded Esso, with the convenience store becoming Shop 'n Drive.
Alternatives
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