Leigh Delamere services

Leigh Delamere services is a motorway service area on the M4 motorway in England, one mile west of Junction 17, between Bristol and Swindon (close to Chippenham and Malmesbury). It takes its name from the adjoining village of Leigh Delamere. It is one of Europe's largest service stations. The service area is owned by Moto Hospitality.

History
It was planned to open in January or February 1972, run by Esso Tavernas; other sites of Esso were Birch Services, Washington services, Woolley Edge services, and Southwaite Services. The 43 acre site cost £650,000. In January 1971 a £400,000 contract was given to Sir Alfred McAlpine & Sons.

It opened at 9am on Monday 3 February 1972, with the largest petrol station in the UK. For the first eight weeks, the site only served petrol. At opening, it had 188 restaurant seats and 60 cafeteria seats. In early 1974, the site was improved by Granada.

In popular culture
The station is mentioned in The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde and is supposedly named after the mother of an associate of the main villain. It features several times in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey, although scenes purportedly at Leigh Delamere were filmed at Cardiff Gate services in Wales.