Welcome Break has teamed up with pizza delivery franchise Papa John’s to open 13 pizza outlets across its 29-strong network of motorway service stations. It is also adding additional outlets but would not specify how many.

"We trialled Papa John’s earlier this year in Fleet and Oxford and were delighted with the results," said Welcome Break chief executive Rod McKie. "Since mid-October we have opened two stores a week and plan to open further outlets this year."

The Welcome Break chain has a footfall of around 80 million people a year.