A truck stop off Junction 12 on the M6 dubbed “Britain’s oldest” has been given a fresh lease of life after its on-site café was rejuvenated with a state-of-the-art kitchen.
The café, known as Lils, serves around 5,000 diners a week at TheStop at The Hollies truck stop. It had relocated to a canteen truck during the two-month the refit, which has seen appliances with “the best energy efficiency ratings” installed, in addition to an oil trap and drain system, allowing cooking oil to be recycled.
The update follows Certas Energy’s purchase of the truck stop three years ago. Since then, with grant support from the Department for Transport, it has spent £800,000 updating it. Improvements include fresh concrete for the stop’s car park, while an enhanced CCTV system provides upgraded security.
The truck stop offers a 15-room hotel, secure parking for 220 HGVs, a washroom, laundrette, bunker fuel, a truck-wash, and gaming facilities.
A refreshed shower block, EV charging and solar panels are all on the cards for future improvements, as is an HVO pump, with the kitchen oil-recovery system having the potential to be used to make this fuel.
David Weaver, roadside services truckstop manager, thanked staff and customers for their patience during the refurbishment, saying: “The Hollies is a real community for both truckers and locals and we want everyone to feel safe and welcome. Our team has gone out of their way to continue providing a fantastic service during the renovations.”
