Northampton services is a motorway service station off the M1 motorway and A43 interchange near Northampton, England. It is owned by Roadchef, and used to be called Rothersthorpe.
History
In February 1971, Blue Boar, of Albert Street in Rugby decided to apply to run the site. There would be a transport cafe on the southbound side, with a footbridge to both sides. It would have to cost at least £150,000.Coventry Evening Telegraph Thursday 18 February 1971, page 12
The Blue Boar company had started in 1939 as the Blue Boar filling station on London Road (A45) in Dunchurch, started by Lyndon Smith, with his wife Dorothy, who had moved to Coventry in 1928 from Cumbria. He died aged 69 in early August 1981 at his home on Bilton Road in Rugby.Coventry Evening Telegraph Wednesday 5 August 1981, page 11
Planning permission was given in November 1971, for ten acres, and catering for 212 customers. In 1974, the managing director of Blue Boar was John Lampitt.Coventry Evening Telegraph Friday 19 November 1971, page 36
Construction Construction was planned to start on 1 January 1973, being built by Kottler and Heron, part of Bacal Construction, costing £257,000.Coventry Evening Telegraph Monday 18 December 1972, page 12
By October 1973 it was to start construction that month, to cost £700,000. Rugby Advertiser Friday 5 October 1973, page 28 But costs vastly increased. The 1973 oil crisis caused a large downturn in national fuel sales, making a service area distinctly less economic to run profitably, which held up construction for at least two years. By May 1978, it would cost around £2m. Construction on the cafeteria had not begun, but the petrol station on both sides would open around May 1978.Coventry Evening Telegraph Wednesday 24 May 1978, page 7
In March 1986, Blue Boar wanted to build a 90-seat restaurant on the northbound side.Northampton Chronicle and Echo Friday 14 March 1986, page 2
Redevelopment in 2002 In 1999 it had parking for only 60 cars, 6 coaches and 15 trucks. Roadchef wanted to increase this to 223 cars, 11 coaches and 37 trucks.Northampton Chronicle and Echo Thursday 16 December 1999, page 14 In August 2000 Roadchef wanted to extend the site, to add a McDonald's and Costa Coffee.Northampton Chronicle and Echo Tuesday 8 August 2000, page 13 It received council permission in September 2001.Northampton Chronicle and Echo Saturday 1 September 2001, page 5
The new £9m improvement opened on 15 August 2002.Northampton Chronicle and Echo Friday 16 August 2002, page 20 It became the Northampton service area in early 2003.
Opening There would be a restaurant and transport cafe on the southbound side only. Catering facilities would open on 16 July 1979.Buckingham Advertiser Friday 4 May 1979, page 30 The first site manager was 43-year-old Chris Dunkley, of Lawford Road in Rugby, with a staff of 24.
When first opened, Rothersthorpe Services (as it was then known) was located between junctions, an 'online' service area. However, in 1991 the Blisworth Bypass on the A43 was opened,Blisworth Bypass - Accessed 14 January 2009 this linked into the M1 at the Rothersthorpe site, creating a junction surrounding the site.
In May 1998 Nikko Europe bought Roadchef, then in July 1998 it bought Blue Boar, and combined the two.Western Daily Press Friday 31 July 1998, page 27
Incidents Blue Boar had banned all football supporters, but this was cautiously lifted in September 1980.Western Daily Press Monday 25 August 1980, page 3
In May 1982, a stag party, on a coach, from Luton caused £300 of damage, and were kept at Northampton police station for 15 hours, after a cake fight in the early hours.The People Sunday 9 May 1982, page 4
Footbridge The 21 year old concrete footbridge was closed in February 1980, for structural surveys, with another put next to it.Rugby Advertiser Friday 1 February 1980, page 22 The original concrete bridge was demolished on 9 February 1980.Wolverhampton Express and Star Saturday 9 February 1980, page 34
The footbridge was taken out of use for the public in 2002 when the site was redeveloped, though it still remains in place.
Location Northampton services are located at junction 15A of the M1 at a junction with the A43, because of the way the service area has evolved, it is possible to reach and exit the services without negotiating the main junction, but uniquely it is also possible to access the service area on the opposite carriageway legally.
The services are about south of Northampton town centre and north west of London.
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