Welcome Break has opened its long-awaited motorway service area (MSA) near Rotherham, with a Caesars Palace-style village feel complete with a square with a fountain, and a number of faux stone-fronted shops.
Applegreen was originally granted planning permission in 2019 for the site at Junction 33 of the M1, near Sheffield. It has six food and two retail outlets, including a Little Waitrose and WH Smith. Food concessions on site include Pret A Manger, Burger King, Chopstix, and The Good Breakfast.
The £55 million site, which is designed to resemble a Yorkshire village, is the first new MSA for the business in 20 years. It showcases “an entirely new concept for the brand”, says Applegreen chief executive officer Joe Barrett on Linkedin.
The site offers fuel, HGV driver facilities, a children’s play area and electric vehicle EV chargepoints. Barrett says that it has been “a really mammoth task” to get to the opening last Friday.
The new service area will create around 230 new jobs.
Applegreen announced earlier this month that it is selling nearly 100 petrol filling stations in the UK to EG On The Move, to focus on developing fewer and larger locations.
It said Applegreen remains committed to the UK market through its majority stake in Welcome Break, and its growing electric vehicle (EV) charging business.
