services services motorway services motorway england opened november day making oldest motorway services britain facilities originally managed local company run nearby petrol station opened bought services main building designed architect cinemas layout general buildings designed coordinating architect main building ready opening food served temporary sheds restaurant opened september site reputation truck stop redesigned accommodate service services meeting place rock bands 1960s including beatles rolling_stones provided convenient place sit eat meal early hours morning 1970s quality services declined food came harsh criticism journalists artists purchase refurbished premises promoted history including association north south divide regular use 1960s rock musicians number events took place celebrate 50th anniversary november including musical services services named nearby gap crossing point limestone ridge north village unrelated town considered dividing line separates north south england location services england close village miles south east rugby miles north west london situated junctions single site direction motorway linked comes nearby gap lowest point limestone ridge crosses england later named street crossed gap considered route unsuitable coach traffic presence today reflected modern road network suddenly turning left near services similarly avoided gap consequently gap largely untouched previous engineering works constructed engineers able build popular culture gap considered dividing line separates north south england phrase north gap shortened north inviting confusion larger town south suggested services included oxford english dictionary expression divide north south history services kind opened time new motorway november evolved discussions facilities present new civil engineer visited united_states existing rest areas available based designs gap chosen pilot sites ministry decided services open motorway land services built belonged owned manor family previously attempted block main london birmingham railway gap success eventually sold converted flats structure built site derelict farm buildings different designers different parts service area coordinating architect ornate design rejected favour functional conservative modernist design services opened new buildings incomplete food served temporary sheds original plan trucks use service station cars use practice service areas owners services family company owned nearby petrol station official services colloquially called time opening original buildings gap designed partners known work cinemas restaurant opened september ministry unhappy services reputation truck stop dating popularity drivers consequently redesigned restaurant accommodate service hoped lose stigma having started primarily commercial driver facility food criticised expensive disputed noting buy kidney pie chips roll cup tea gap today 1970s combination recession food fear football greatly reduced services popularity quality food declined substantially prominent location services poor catering wrote song criticising food gap album writing gap plate load owners service station objected criticism food emi board member non executive director harper defended decision write song claiming food absolute journalist claimed services worst food found road network adding threw window probably bouncing purchased motorway businesses improved facilities rated stars quality celebrated services 50th anniversary november selling cups tea prices road sign erected pointing north south day anniversary celebrations local film maker composer created musical gap featured stories people worked associated services including local residents remembered services opening notable visitors adamant services destinations right acquire reputation popular place motorists visit 1960s services regular stopping venue bands rolling_stones beatles stopped gap travelling liverpool south early stage career heard services popularly known thought london nightclub leader regularly visited services touring saying good quick stop quick floyd recalls stopping services zombies thought services feeding trough beat boom harper claimed everybody meet gap place guaranteed bit sit services association 1960s musicians remembered set photographs published stones stopping gap way birmingham paid employee collected working including paul_mccartney dusty springfield cliff richard july music journalist presented late nights documentary connection services britain 1960s rock bands
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