M6 Lancaster (Forton) Services

[Gav]

It appears that the operator of Lancaster is doing some investigatory works on this site due to the need to look at the charging facilities for electric cars. As they are looking at redevelopment of the site and the current site buildings being deemed to be approaching end of life, it looks like there could be some changes being planned.

I saw from an associate some engineering drawings and some initial outline ideas for this and it would involve the development of a site just south of the existing site.
The design involves one side of the road and would encompass a more integrated building design to merge the buildings into the surrounding area to minimise impact.
It would also be recognised as the first purpose built recharge / refresh approach for motorway sites that Moto are keen on rolling out. Refuel is going to get longer so people need to have something to do. Moto recognizing this development are looking at cinema and health facilities as a way to give the motorway driver a break from the rod and not be stuck waiting about on a recharge. Partnership with a national gym provider is being mooted. New approach requires new thinking. And of course new revenue streams can be developed.

Its not a destination on its own right so those rules can be relaxed as long as its done under recharge refresh approach. Westmoorland have led the way with turning motorway service stations around. with some careful thought and approach it wont take much for moto to challenge the current motorway business model and give a refreshed take on its roadside provision.

Creche facilities, bespoke cafe options, food options, leisure, cinema,

business centres, many lines of thought going on but it could bring about a complete change of approach to the currently stale motorway service station.....

[AnOrdinarySABREUser]

it could bring about a complete change of approach to the currently stale motorway service station.....

To play the devil's advocate, motorway service stations like these could take trade away from local businesses and could affect tourism. However, I don't see this as being likely and I'm all for better motorway services. It'd be a nice change of pace from, as you say, the stale services of the present. Would you say that these services would be in some respects like a mall in the place of a service station given the variety of services provided?

[Gav]

it could bring about a complete change of approach to the currently stale motorway service station.....

To play the devil's advocate, motorway service stations like these could take trade away from local businesses and could affect tourism. However, I don't see this as being likely and I'm all for better motorway services. It'd be a nice change of pace from, as you say, the stale services of the present. Would you say that these services would be in some respects like a mall in the place of a service station given the variety of services provided?

by all accounts moving away from the mall style. maybe center parks ? but in smaller scale ? not geared from long term stays but done enough to give the options of doing something constructive to while away time without the Hussle bustle....

[AnOrdinarySABREUser]

by all accounts moving away from the mall style. maybe center parks ? but in smaller scale ? not geared from long term stays but done enough to give the options of doing something constructive to while away time without the Hussle bustle....

Understood. I presume that there'll be more activities available for people to do other than eating and shopping inside of a stodgy service station. Given your comparison to Center Parcs, I'm under the assumption that this new approach will entail the construction of a 'village' with a more open environment than the current model of service areas. Would there be a small park or recreational areas (green spaces for the lack of a better word) outside of the main 'village' to create a more pleasant environment?

(Sorry for the ruthless interrogation by the way! This topic struck my curiosity. )

[roadtester]

This is a really interesting development.

I’ve long had the view that demand for roadside facilities on the most heavily trafficked routes is almost insatiable. I can well remember when Wetherby opened on the A1(M), which was packed almost from day one.

Obviously EV charging is going to be an important driver of development but people just expect so much more these days. Where once there would have been a single greasy chips-with-everything cafeteria, now it is routine to have half a dozen, and in some cases, many more, food options at an MSA. None of which makes an MSA a destination that attracts traffic in its own right - the bar for that has risen immeasurably over the years. It’s just the expected standard. I’m very much a simple tea man myself but these days it seems that half the population can’t go anywhere without some ridiculously complicated and expensive coffee-based squirty cream enhanced concoction to hand, and that need has to be catered for as well.

I think we may see the day where every junction on the busier parts of the network has an official MSA or an unofficial cluster of facilities providing a similar level of service.

[fras]

I hope the "Mushroom" isn't to be knocked down !

[Bryn666]

I hope the "Mushroom" isn't to be knocked down !

It's listed so they'd have to find a very good excuse.

[RichardA35]

I hope the "Mushroom" isn't to be knocked down !

It's listed so they'd have to find a very good excuse.

It could always be moved to Ayr and laid sideways.....

[Gav]

I hope the "Mushroom" isn't to be knocked down !

It's listed so they'd have to find a very good excuse.

there was talk of that on the documentation and about departure from the site. if they do decide to go with this, as it would be a flag ship trial. I quite like the idea, however if no one was to take over the site I dont know what would happen with the tower. near to a motorway. they would need to keep it in good reapir, trouble being who knows what would happen if it was no longer in service ? who would maintain it ? what would the risk assesment indicate ?

[fras]

I hope the "Mushroom" isn't to be knocked down !

It's listed so they'd have to find a very good excuse.

there was talk of that on the documentation and about departure from the site. if they do decide to go with this, as it would be a flag ship trial. I quite like the idea, however if no one was to take over the site I dont know what would happen with the tower. near to a motorway. they would need to keep it in good reapir, trouble being who knows what would happen if it was no longer in service ? who would maintain it ? what would the risk assesment indicate ?

It's surely not beyond the wit of man to bring it back into use and also satisfy the 'Elf 'n Safety fascists.

[Big L]

Maybe National Trust or English Heritage take it on. A nice cafe doing decent tea or coffee and cake, with bit of motorway heritage knocking around.

[KeithW]

Maybe National Trust or English Heritage take it on. A nice cafe doing decent tea or coffee and cake, with bit of motorway heritage knocking around.

There have been a few threads about this over the years. The Tower was a cafe for a while but it simply doesnt meet modern requirements for health and safety. The stairs are problematic, the lift does not meet current standards for public use but worst of all it never made money so for the most part it was converted into offices. There was also asbestos in the structure.
viewtopic.php?t=43079&hilit=Forton
viewtopic.php?p=1188651&hilit=Forton#p1188651
https://motorwayservices.uk/The_Pennine_Tower

Read the menu prices and weep
https://motorwayservices.uk/download/Pe ... erMenu.pdf

In the early days of the motorways a number of service areas tried fine dining and cafes on overbridges but it didn't really work out.

The tower is grade II listed which is unlikely to save it if it had to go but most likely it would just be left as a modern folly with little or no access.

[Helvellyn]

Interesting. I'll be very curious to see how this turns out.

[rhyds]

I hope the "Mushroom" isn't to be knocked down !

It's listed so they'd have to find a very good excuse.

It could always be moved to Ayr and laid sideways.....

Dangit! You stole my line! I'll comfort myself with a £10 ostritch burger...

[rhyds]

It's listed so they'd have to find a very good excuse.

there was talk of that on the documentation and about departure from the site. if they do decide to go with this, as it would be a flag ship trial. I quite like the idea, however if no one was to take over the site I dont know what would happen with the tower. near to a motorway. they would need to keep it in good reapir, trouble being who knows what would happen if it was no longer in service ? who would maintain it ? what would the risk assesment indicate ?

It's surely not beyond the wit of man to bring it back into use and also satisfy the 'Elf 'n Safety fascists.

There probably is, but the costs would be insane and nobody wants to foot that particular bill

[Helvellyn]

It's surely not beyond the wit of man to bring it back into use and also satisfy the 'Elf 'n Safety fascists.

I believe it was condemned for restaurant use quite a while before I'd say current safety attitudes were established (even if the basis of the law hasn't changed greatly), so I'm prepared to believe that there was a real enough concern here. Were the kitchens in the tower?

[SteveA30]

It could, if the will is there, be a motoring heritage museum, including the other buildings. Plenty of parking, direct motorway access, possibly a back access as well.

Aust could have been such a place. It would have been the premier motoring museum in the UK. Vintage cars, lorries and coaches, plus a great view.

[Helvellyn]

That would fall foul of "services musn't be a destitanation in their own right," although I think that providing enough to do whilst a car charges will inevitably blur that line a bit.

[Chris5156]

A cinema seems like a strange choice - that surely would make it a destination in its own right, since it would likely bring in people living nearby who surely don't have a huge number of cinemas within striking distance. And with electric vehicle charging times falling all the time, who is parking up to watch a two hour feature film plus trailers and adverts halfway through their journey?

[Helvellyn]

A cinema seems like a strange choice - that surely would make it a destination in its own right, since it would likely bring in people living nearby who surely don't have a huge number of cinemas within striking distance. And with electric vehicle charging times falling all the time, who is parking up to watch a two hour feature film plus trailers and adverts halfway through their journey?

You get 15 minutes of film at a time, stopping for you next recharge at the next services for the next 15