Latest news with #FortonServices
Scottish Sun
29-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Inside ‘appalling' £14m space-age tower once home to UK's highest motorway restaurant that's rotted away for 35 years
Nostalgic Brits discussed their previous visits to the tower FROZEN IN TIME Inside 'appalling' £14m space-age tower once home to UK's highest motorway restaurant that's rotted away for 35 years AN ABANDONED tower which was once home to the UK's highest motorway restaurant continues to rot away decades after its closure. The Forton Services, close to Lancaster, waved in motorists using the 3.5-mile stretch of the M6 for the first time in 1965. Advertisement 3 Forton Services, located on the M6 motorway, was the location of The Pennine Tower restaurant Credit: Alamy 3 The hexagonal tower under construction in December 1964 Credit: Getty The eye-catching hexagonal Pennine Tower formed part of the complex, and quickly became the site of a posh restaurant for famished drivers. Diners regularly tucked into grilled rainbow trout, fillet steaks, lobster, and local favourites like Lancashire Hot Pot and potted shrimps. It boasted dramatic views of the nearby Morecambe Bay and was likened to a UFO by some visitors. The Forton Services also came complete with self-service cafeterias, baby changing facilities, and showers for lorry drivers. Advertisement Noreen Blackburn, a former waitress at the Pennine Tower, shared her experiences working at the now-dormant eatery. She said: "As I was eager to learn, my next job was serving tea and coffee tea was made in a huge teapot and poured as necessary coaches made the place very busy. "The phrase used was the 'tea and pee brigade'. "However, my greatest wish was to be a waitress in the 'tower' and I really pushed the catering manager to consider me. Advertisement "The uniform was so chic in a shade of mid-green with a pencil slim skirt which had to be just above knee level, a white blouse, a waistcoat with shiny chrome buttons and a Top Rank emblem embroidered on it." The shine quickly wore off, with the restaurant slammed as "an insult to one's taste buds" by prominent food critic Egon Ronay. Abandoned iconic UK stadium left to rot 110 years after hosting FA Cup final getting new lease of life The Forton Services became better known as a rendez-vous point for truckers and pulled the plug in 1989. Recognising its significance, they awarded the tower Grade II listed status in 2012. Advertisement Detailing its pedigree, the Historic England website says: "Forton demonstrated a new popularist architecture ideally suited to the democratic new aesthetic of the motorway. "The Pennine Tower Restaurant acting both as a beacon to attract the passing motorists and as a glamorous vantage point from which they were able to enjoy spectacular prospects of the motorway below and more extensively over the miles of surrounding countryside through which they [are] passing." Historic England also selected the Pennine Tower amongst eight pieces of architectural prowess inspired by the 1960s space race, culminating in 1969's lunar landing. It cited Forton services as an example of 'Space-age architecture', cheekily describing it as a "Star Wars ship next to a motorway". Advertisement Online user Rob590 fondly recalled his visits to the unique building. "[In the '90s] Forton was one of the first buildings I grew to love," he said. "From our end it was the first landmark that you were going somewhere - Preston, Blackpool, Manchester or maybe even further. "It seemed impossibly huge, and to my eyes reinforced that we'd left our rural county for something bigger, modern and better." Advertisement
The Irish Sun
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Inside ‘appalling' £14m space-age tower once home to UK's highest motorway restaurant that's rotted away for 35 years
AN ABANDONED tower which was once home to the UK's highest motorway restaurant continues to rot away decades after its closure. The Forton Services, close to Advertisement 3 Forton Services, located on the M6 motorway, was the location of The Pennine Tower restaurant Credit: Alamy 3 The hexagonal tower under construction in December 1964 Credit: Getty The eye-catching hexagonal Pennine Tower formed part of the complex, and quickly became the site of a posh restaurant for famished drivers. Diners regularly tucked into grilled rainbow trout, fillet steaks, lobster, and local favourites like Lancashire Hot Pot and potted shrimps. It boasted dramatic views of the nearby Morecambe Bay and was likened to a UFO by some visitors. The Forton Services also came complete with self-service cafeterias, baby changing facilities, and showers for lorry drivers. Advertisement read more in motors Noreen Blackburn, a former waitress at the Pennine Tower, shared her experiences working at the now-dormant eatery. She said: "As I was eager to learn, my next job was serving tea and coffee tea was made in a huge teapot and poured as necessary coaches made the place very busy. "The phrase used was the 'tea and pee brigade'. "However, my greatest wish was to be a waitress in the 'tower' and I really pushed the catering manager to consider me. Advertisement Most read in Motors Exclusive "The uniform was so chic in a shade of mid-green with a pencil slim skirt which had to be just above knee level, a white blouse, a waistcoat with shiny chrome buttons and a Top Rank emblem embroidered on it." The shine quickly wore off, with the restaurant slammed as "an insult to one's taste buds" by prominent food critic Egon Ronay. Abandoned iconic UK stadium left to rot 110 years after hosting FA Cup final getting new lease of life The Forton Services became better known as a rendez-vous point for truckers and pulled the plug in 1989. Recognising its significance, they awarded the tower Grade II listed status in 2012. Advertisement Detailing its pedigree, the Historic England website says: "Forton demonstrated a new popularist architecture ideally suited to the democratic new aesthetic of the motorway. "The Pennine Tower Restaurant acting both as a beacon to attract the passing motorists and as a glamorous vantage point from which they were able to enjoy spectacular prospects of the motorway below and more extensively over the miles of surrounding countryside through which they [are] passing." Historic England also selected the Pennine Tower amongst eight pieces of architectural prowess inspired by the 1960s space race, culminating in 1969's lunar landing. It cited Forton services as an example of 'Space-age architecture', cheekily describing it as a "Star Wars ship next to a motorway". Advertisement Online user Rob590 fondly recalled his visits to the unique building. "[In the '90s] Forton was one of the first buildings I grew to love," he said. "From our end it was the first landmark that you were going somewhere - Preston, Blackpool, Manchester or maybe even further. "It seemed impossibly huge, and to my eyes reinforced that we'd left our rural county for something bigger, modern and better." Advertisement 3 The building was awarded listed status by English Heritage Credit: Alamy
The Sun
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Inside ‘appalling' £14m space-age tower once home to UK's highest motorway restaurant that's rotted away for 35 years
AN ABANDONED tower which was once home to the UK's highest motorway restaurant continues to rot away decades after its closure. The Forton Services, close to Lancaster, waved in motorists using the 3.5-mile stretch of the M6 for the first time in 1965. 3 3 The eye-catching hexagonal Pennine Tower formed part of the complex, and quickly became the site of a posh restaurant for famished drivers. Diners regularly tucked into grilled rainbow trout, fillet steaks, lobster, and local favourites like Lancashire Hot Pot and potted shrimps. It boasted dramatic views of the nearby Morecambe Bay and was likened to a UFO by some visitors. The Forton Services also came complete with self-service cafeterias, baby changing facilities, and showers for lorry drivers. Noreen Blackburn, a former waitress at the Pennine Tower, shared her experiences working at the now-dormant eatery. She said: "As I was eager to learn, my next job was serving tea and coffee tea was made in a huge teapot and poured as necessary coaches made the place very busy. "The phrase used was the 'tea and pee brigade'. "However, my greatest wish was to be a waitress in the 'tower' and I really pushed the catering manager to consider me. "The uniform was so chic in a shade of mid-green with a pencil slim skirt which had to be just above knee level, a white blouse, a waistcoat with shiny chrome buttons and a Top Rank emblem embroidered on it." The shine quickly wore off, with the restaurant slammed as "an insult to one's taste buds" by prominent food critic Egon Ronay. The Forton Services became better known as a rendez-vous point for truckers and pulled the plug in 1989. Recognising its significance, they awarded the tower Grade II listed status in 2012. Detailing its pedigree, the Historic England website says: "Forton demonstrated a new popularist architecture ideally suited to the democratic new aesthetic of the motorway. "The Pennine Tower Restaurant acting both as a beacon to attract the passing motorists and as a glamorous vantage point from which they were able to enjoy spectacular prospects of the motorway below and more extensively over the miles of surrounding countryside through which they [are] passing." Historic England also selected the Pennine Tower amongst eight pieces of architectural prowess inspired by the 1960s space race, culminating in 1969's lunar landing. It cited Forton services as an example of 'Space-age architecture', cheekily describing it as a "Star Wars ship next to a motorway". Online user Rob590 fondly recalled his visits to the unique building. "[In the '90s] Forton was one of the first buildings I grew to love," he said. "From our end it was the first landmark that you were going somewhere - Preston, Blackpool, Manchester or maybe even further. "It seemed impossibly huge, and to my eyes reinforced that we'd left our rural county for something bigger, modern and better."
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Yahoo
Police stop car and chase driver on M6 - and make a HUGE discovery
Police stopped two cars on the M6 on Monday evening (January 27) before making a huge discovery. Wads of cash totalling £50,000 and £10k worth of cannabis were found stashed in the vehicles by officers. The first incident occurred at around 5.30pm, when officers from the Roads Crime Team at Lancashire Police stopped a black Seat Ibiza at the Forton Services. After speaking to the driver, officers rummaged through the car under the misuse of drugs act and found £50,000 in cash stashed in a bag. READ MORE: Police issue plea to find 'dangerous' man after shots fired at person sat in parked car READ MORE: Teacher told pupil to 'f*** off' after 'red-faced' teen called him a 'fat c***' The driver, a 32-year-old man from Manchester, was arrested on suspicion of money laundering. He has since been released under investigation. A short time later, a chase ensued on the motorway involving a Mercedes C class. The driver was requested to stop by officers at junction 34 at around 7.15pm. Police said the car 'continued travelling at high speed' on the northbound carriageway and was eventually brought to a stop near Carnforth. When the car was searched, around £10,000 worth of cannabis was found in a bag in the boot of the car. Two men were arrested – a 24-year-man on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to supply, driving with excess drugs, dangerous driving and failing to stop, and a 25-year-old man on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to supply. Both remain in custody, Lancashire Police confirmed.
