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M61 services plans to be discussed by Chorley councillors
1:47pm Thursday 31st December 2009
Plans are to be considered next week for a complete rebuild of a much criticised motorway services area near Chorley.
The M61’s only service station: Bolton West services (formerly known as Anderton Services), is located between Junctions 6 and 8.
The premises, which opened in 1971, were made famous as the setting for The Services, a pilot episode for comedian Peter Kay’s series That Peter Kay Thing, a spoof documentary of a day in the life of the staff there.
Darwen-based forecourt operator Euro Garages, which acquired the site last summer, will now embark on a major redevelopment programme.
The proposals for the new site, which have been submitted to Chorley Council will see the demolition of most existing service area buildings.
Euro Garages then propose to ‘construct a new amenity building, petrol filling station, forecourt and canopy’ as well as refurbishing the existing lodge building.
The firm, which was recently listed in the Sunday Times largest mid-market companies, currently runs around 80 forecourts.
It was founded nine years ago by the Issa family and has become a £250m turnover business through the acquisition and redevelopment of run-down petrol filling stations.
Its sites offer convenience retail stores in conjunction with Spar and also fast food outlets such as Subway.
In a full year trading update published in October, the company said fuel and retail sales increased 5 per cent on an annual basis in the year to July 31. Profits were 25 per cent higher at £9.1m.
It has acquired 10 sites since January, including a location in Blackburn which will house the company's head office building and flagship forecourt.
The Bolton West services attracted the most negative rankings on the Motorway Services website in 2008.
The planning application for the redevelopment will be considered by Chorley councillors on Tuesday, January 12.
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