End of the ‘Gateway to the North’: The iconic Watford Gap petrol station on the M1, where the Rolling Stones, Beatles and Jimi Hendrix stopped on their way to gigs, will be demolished to make way for a travel center with charging stations for 150 points for electric cars

The name was thrown around so much that Jimi Hendrix thought the British were talking about a fancy London nightclub.

Watford Gap was the stopping point on the M1 for the Rolling Stones, Cliff Richard, the Beatles and Hendrix, among others.

But now the legendary petrol station, which was the first of its kind in Great Britain when it opened in 1959 next to the M1, is to be demolished.

Operator Roadchef plans to replace the “Gateway to the North” in Northamptonshire with a low-carbon travel hub with 150 electric car charging points.

Roadchef managing director Mark Fox said the petrol station – once known as Blue Boar Services – was “past its due date” and needed to be redeveloped.

In 1963, Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was pictured there while the band stopped in Birmingham on their way to ATV Studios.

As well as a petrol station and charging stations, Watford Gap has McDonald’s, Costa Coffee, WH Smith and the Days Inn and Regus Express hotel chains.

Originally called the Blue Boar Café, the location opened on November 2, 1959.

It was originally run by Blue Boar Limited, a family business that also owned the Blue Boar petrol station on the nearby A5.

A review of Watford Gap’s services in the Daily Mail in 1968

It expanded rapidly in the 1960s and became known as a place where some of the most famous musicians of the time stopped on their journey between gigs.

During a visit to the ATV studios in Birmingham in 1963, members of the Rolling Stones were caught buying food.

Keith Richards is pictured standing by the bar in a sharp suit and tie.

To show what a celebrity hotspot it was, former employee Beatrice England – who worked the night shift at the petrol station – collected a number of impressive signatures in a brochure.

In addition to Richards, the signatories included Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Dusty Springfield, Sir Cliff Richard and members of the Eagles.

Other names in the book included Shirley Bassey and the stars of bands such as The Animals and The Kinks.

Folk singer Roy Harper even went so far as to write a song about the services.

The text contained the main line: Watford Gap, Watford Gap, a plate of fat and a load of shit.

Customers are seen at Watford Gap in the 1960s. As car ownership increased, services expanded

In 1993, the service’s cafe was recognized for making what was said to be the best cup of tea available at a motorway stop in Britain. Above: The Tea Council’s chief executive pours a cup of tea for award winners Lynanne Bamford and Shirley Milne of the Blue Pig in Watford Gap

In 1993, the service’s cafe was recognized for making what was said to be the best cup of tea available at a motorway stop in Britain.

Speaking at the 50th anniversary service in 2009, Brian Poole (68) of 1960s band Brian Poole And The Tremeloes fondly recalled the early days.

“We traveled a lot in our Ford Thames van and always stopped at church services – the same goes for all musicians,” he said.

“It was open all night serving hot roasts – exactly what groups like us wanted – and we were often asked for autographs there.”

He added: “It was definitely a place worth seeing and actually very glamorous. It made for great tea, always served in a good cup.”

Roadchef manages both northbound and southbound locations. It is planned to demolish the building complex and replace it with modern facilities.

In addition to double-decker parking and charging stations, there could also be an airport-style executive lounge for business travelers.

Mr Fox told the Telegraph that the site “just needs to be demolished and rebuilt”.

He added: “The deadline has passed, especially the southbound one, which was the first to open. We’ve spent money on it over the years and it’s pretty good inside.

“But we are not proud that it is a physical asset and we want to build a new one on the corner of the site and then destroy the old one.”

In 1968 travelers are seen on the Blue Boar service on the M1. At the time, the facility was a meeting place for famous musicians taking a break between performances

Blue Boar Services opened in November 1958 alongside the M1

A Roadchef spokesperson added: “We are proud to operate Britain’s most famous petrol station, Watford Gap on the M1.”

“We recognize that the site needs to evolve to meet the growing and changing needs of UK road users and ensure it is ready for the road transport of the future.”

“It’s no secret that we want to invest in the site to significantly increase charging capacity for electric vehicles and provide drivers with a better overall experience.”

“We are continuing to negotiate with the Department for Transport to extend our lease for Watford Gap, allowing us to move forward with our extensive development plans.”

However, Catherine Croft, chief executive of the Twentieth Century Society, said the demolition was a huge loss.