Filming at Welcome Break Over the Years
Over the years, Welcome Break Services across the nation have played backdrop to some of the countries favourite TV shows and films. Our sites offer a unique combination of accessibility, controlled environments, parking space for film units, and that recognisable-yet-nowhere-specific aesthetic directors love. They provide all the facilities with no need to shut down busy city streets or recreate a café in a studio. And as these productions prove, they can also be the perfect place for drama, comedy, suspense… and the occasional broken-down car.
Whilst many of our sites have featured in motorway and travel programs, some have also appeared in British classics. The very first recorded case of filming at Welcome Break goes back as far as 1969, when Newport Pagnell, our first site, featured in the film Charlie Bubbles.
From there, our sites began to pop up in a range of different programs and films. Few shows have embraced the quirks of British motoring culture like Top Gear, so it’s no surprise that Welcome Break sites have played host to several classic moments. First visiting Gordano in 1982 with the original host, William Woollard, Jeremy Clarkson and Co. went on to film at Newport Pagnell (1996), South Mimms (2003), Oxford (2006), and Warwick (2007).
Cardiff Gate services played a festive supporting role in both the 2008 and 2009 Gavin and Stacey Christmas specials. Scenes were filmed in several areas, including the car park, the games arcade, the restaurant, and the access road. Interestingly, the location was referred to as Leigh Delamere throughout the 2009 episode, however, eagle-eyed fans will spot that it is in fact Welcome Break Cardiff Gate.
Charlie Bubbles
Image: Reelstreet
Gavin and Stacey
Image: BBC
Click and Collect
Image: BBC Studios
Multiple Welcome Break sites have cameoed in EastEnders over the years. In August 2012, South Mimms provided the backdrop for an emotional scene where Sharon attempts to board a coach to York, only to be stopped at the last minute by her son. Newport Pagnell has also featured in various episodes, proving that even soap stars sometimes need a motorway break.
Across three separate episodes filmed between 2015 and 2020, Silent Witness used Welcome Break Fleet as a dramatic backdrop. The most memorable scene involved a police officer being thrown through the footbridge window, left dangling above the M3 below. One of the more high-adrenaline moments ever filmed at a motorway service station!
Fans of Broadchurch may be surprised to learn that a “bonus scene” created for ITV Drama’s Facebook page was filmed at Gordano services in 2015. Shot opposite the filling station, it features DI Alec Hardy and DI Ellie Miller meeting Hardy’s wife, asking her to reopen the ominous Sandbrook case. A small, but striking moment in a hugely acclaimed series.
In 2018 South Mimms and Charnock Richard appeared in the comedy Christmas drama Click and Collect. The movie sees Andrew and Dev embarking on a frantic road trip, and South Mimms services acts as an essential pit stop throughout their journey to Carlisle. For the production, Welcome Break branding was swapped out for ‘Rest N Stop’ and the ‘Papa Burger’ outlet you see on-screen was created specially, temporarily replacing what was Harry Ramsden’s. Charnock Richard also makes an appearance in the film, specifically the northbound side, where several exterior shots were used. The Shell forecourt is the setting for a memorable mishap involving the wrong fuel being poured into the car. As breakdown locations go, it’s a real one!
So next time you’re watching the telly, keep an eye out for where Welcome Break might pop up next.