Britain's most glamorous motorway service stop with silver service and a pianist

The first service in Britain, Watford Gap, opened 65 years ago this week.

And the famous service station, known as Blue Boar, on the M1 in , is still going strong - with around four million visitors every year.

It was the start of a service station revolution in the country. There are now 95 motorway services areas in the UK, with hundreds more on A roads. Here are some of the highlights…

Stop off for music legends

Watford Gap services were were frequented by a who’s who of the music industry, as touring bands regularly refuelled at the gateway to the North.

Rock and pop stars such as , , Pink Floyd, Dusty Springfield and Cliff Richard used the services as a meeting point. In fact, US rock legend Jimi Hendrix said he’s hear do much about the ‘Blue Boar’ from British bands he assumed it was a trendy London nightclub.

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High end eating

Lancaster Services once boasted the highest restaurant in the country. With operators banned from advertising to road users, the 65-foot tower was built to grab motorists’ attention as they drove up the M6.

At the top of the ‘Pennine Tower’ there was a fine-dining, waitress service restaurant, with seating that offered views over the road below and across Lancashire. The landmark was closed in 1989 but is now a Grade II listed site.

Sixties’ Glam

Leicester Forest East, which opened on 14 February 1966, was known as the most glamorous stop on the motorways, offering silver service, waiters in sailor suits and a pianist on a baby Grand.

At its heart was The Captain's Table restaurant in the bridge over the M1 - now replaced by fast food outlets.

The services has another claim to fame - it was where X factor Sam Bailey also worked at the newsagents before hitting the big time.

Outlaw chic

Trowell Services off the M1 in Nottinghamshire opened in 1969 and entirely themed around Robin Hood.

With the services made to look like a Sherwood Forest village, security guards wore Robin Hood hats, there was a pub called the Friar Tuck-In and eateries such as The Sheriff’s Restaurant and Marion’s Pantry.

It also featured in an episode of Auf Weirdersehn Pet, but was also named as a crime hotspot by .

Motorway boozer

Beaconsfield Services on the M40 in Bucks boast the country’s only fully licensed pub at a service station. boozer the Hope and Champion opened in 2014 to some controversy, with many sceptical about having a pub on a rest area only accessible by car.

And because it’s classed as providing an essential service it’s also exempt from pub curfew rules, meaning it can serve booze between 10pm and 5am unlike normal pubs.

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