 When opened, it was the first service area on the journey north from London on the M1, and the UK's largest.It was the UK's eighth motorway service station, and the M1's third service area; the M1 had the UK's first two motorway service areas.It was Granada Motorway Services's first motorway service area; its next would be Frankley in the north of Worcestershire on the M5 in 1966.