Watford Gap services

Watford Gap services
Watford Gap services (northbound)
Watford Gap services Location in Northamptonshire, England Show map of Northamptonshire Watford Gap services Location on the UK motorway network Show map of UK motorways
Information
County	Northamptonshire
Road	M1
Coordinates:	52°18′25″N 1°07′21″W / 52.3069°N 1.1226°W / 52.3069; -1.1226
Operator	Roadchef
Previous operator(s)	Blue Boar
Date opened	2 November 1959 (1959-11-02)
Website	www.roadchef.com/locations/watford-gap

Watford Gap services are motorway services on the M1 motorway in Northamptonshire, England. They opened on 2 November 1959, the same day as the M1, making them one of the oldest motorway services in Britain. The facilities were originally managed by Blue Boar, a local company that had run a nearby petrol station before the M1 opened. Roadchef bought the services from Blue Boar in 1995.

The main building was designed by Harry Weedon, the architect for Odeon Cinemas, while the layout and general buildings were designed by coordinating architect Owen Williams. The main building was not ready on opening, so food was served from temporary sheds. The restaurant opened in September 1960, but due to the site's reputation as a truck stop, was redesigned in 1964 to accommodate a waitress service. The services became a meeting place for rock bands in the 1960s, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix, as it provided a convenient place to sit down and eat a meal in the early hours of the morning. Hendrix was said to have mistaken the rest stop for a nightclub, having heard about the hotspot from other musicians.^[1] In the 1970s, the quality of the services declined and the food came in for harsh criticism from journalists and artists, such as Roy Harper. Since purchase in 1995, Roadchef have refurbished the premises. They have promoted its history, including the association with a north / south divide, and its regular use by 1960s rock musicians. A number of events took place to celebrate the 50th anniversary in November 2009, including a musical about the services.

The services are named after the nearby Watford Gap, a crossing point of the limestone ridge just north of the village of Watford; the name is unrelated to that of the town of Watford in Hertfordshire.