'Keeping my fingers crossed new Tebay-style M56 services get go-ahead'

So regular 600 mile round trips to Cornwall it was then. Over the years as we got increasingly used to the trip it actually seemed to get shorter, apart from one of the last journeys we made when roadworks and accidents on the M6 in Cheshire meant it took us more than 11 hours to get back home.

Travelling on the nation’s motorways is never really a great thing to do but at least we could break the journey at the absolutely wonderful Gloucester Services on the M5.

If you know, you know… but for those who have never sampled the delights of one of the best services in the country, it is simply spectacular.

It’s owned by the Dunning family via its company Westmorland Ltd which also owns and runs Tebay services in Cumbria and Cairn Lodge in Scotland.

It’s a long time since I’ve stopped at Tebay and I’ve never been to Cairn Lodge but a services with a butchers and farm shop is something to behold.

And if you can find a better sausage roll than that served up at Gloucester’s ‘Quick Kitchen’ let me know because quite frankly I would be very, very surprised.

So unusual is the ethos which underpins the company, Channel 4 made a documentary about Tebay and followed it up this year with a new series taking a behind the scenes look at Gloucester Services called A Cotswold Farm Shop.

If you can find it on Channel 4’s catch-up service I would highly recommend it.

Anyway, I don’t have to travel to Cornwall any more after my son and his family moved a little further north which means it’s a couple of years since I’ve been to Gloucester Services although I have been discussing ways of engineering a trip there.

But if I hang on for a while, I may be able to get my ‘best sausage roll in the world’ fix a little closer to home with plans for Cheshire to get its very own ‘destination’ farm shop services.

A planning application by Tatton Services Ltd wants to construct a hotel, farm shop and kitchen, as well as a ‘fuel barn/filling station’, 65 car parking spaces, 58 lorry spaces and additional spots for coaches, caravans and motorhomes at a new services in Tatton on Green Belt land between junction 7 and 8 on the M56.

The service station would be operated by Westmorland Ltd.

The planning application says: “Our vision is to build on the distinctive model that Westmorland operates, responding to the unique locality of East Cheshire to create a truly sustainable business which is ready to embrace a different future of food, buildings and travel.

“We want to build on what we do already. Gloucester Services, Tebay Services and Cairn Lodge Services were named the UK’s three best MSAs in 2021’s Which? Survey. We are a beacon of quality in our industry and are known as a champion of our locality; we have a real passion for this approach and the impact it can have.”

And the scheme has already had a significant boost with after receiving the backing of the highways department, which ruled that the ‘traffic and transport impacts’ could be ‘satisfactorily assimilated into the highway network’.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed it will get the go ahead when the proposal is considered by Cheshire East Council later in September.

But it appears not everyone shares my enthusiasm for the project with Bowdon Conservation Group, an organisation with more than 300 members arguing the plan would cause ‘unjustifiable harm’ to the Green Belt as well as the neighbouring communities of Hale, Altrincham and Bowdon.

Bowdon Conservation Group says there has been a ‘flawed’ retail impact assessment, stating: “The assessment fails to properly acknowledge the applicant’s unique business model, which is to offer an enhanced ‘farm shop’ retail offer far beyond the typical Motorway Service Area (MSA).

“Therefore, the assumption that there will be limited dedicated trips to the MSA from the local area is flawed.”

Oh well, looks like you can’t please everyone, but if it does get the green light, put me down for a couple of sausage rolls.