Sedgemoor Services
PreviousnamesBrent Knoll Rest Area
RoadM5 motorway
CountySomerset
Coordinates51.2689°N 2.9215°W
North operatorWelcome Break
North dateopened1987
North fuelbrandShell
North websitewelcomebreak.co.uk/locations/sedgemoor
South operatorRoadchef
South dateopenedMay 1986
South fuelbrandEsso
South websitewww.roadchef.com/locations/sedgemoor-south

Sedgemoor services is a motorway service station on the M5 motorway near the village of Rooks Bridge in Somerset, England. The location of the services can be identified from a long distance because of their proximity to Brent Knoll, an isolated hill on the Somerset Levels.

The northbound station is operated by Welcome Break, and the southbound station is operated by Roadchef.

The northbound station is one of fourteen service stations for which large murals were commissioned from artist David Fisher in the 1990s, designed to reflect the local area and history.[1]

History

The sites opened in 1970 as Brent Knoll Rest Area by the Department for Transport; however, after high rates of crime, the services were transferred to Welcome Break and Roadchef.[citation needed] They were upgraded to Motorway Service Area status in 1987 after two service buildings were added.[citation needed]

Construction

Construction for the RoadChef side started on Friday 6 December 1985. Sedgemoor District Council had given planning permission for the site in the same week. It would cost £15m on 20 acres on the southbound side.[2][3] It opened in early May 1986.[4] The northbound side opened in April 1987.[5]

References

  1. ^ "David Fisher – Somerset Art – Commercial Works & Commissions". Archived from the original on 25 October 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  2. ^ Western Daily Press Saturday 7 December 1985, page 6
  3. ^ Bristol Evening Post Saturday 7 December 1985, page 7
  4. ^ Gloucester Citizen Wednesday 7 May 1986, page 9
  5. ^ Bristol Evening Post Thursday 16 April 1987, page 23