Cornwall Services officially opened in Roche, on the A30 (near Bodmin) on 1 July 2014, bringing with it a taste of Cornwall for holidaymakers and locals alike, along with all the major brands you would expect at a major service station. The development, which began construction early last year, is expected to generate in excess of 200 new jobs at the site (including 75 at the McDonald’s restaurant) and many more were employed during construction.
Cornwall Services is the first major, motorway-style service station in Cornwall and the only one on the A30 west of Exeter. It is located at the Victoria Interchange junction on the A30, less than 10 minutes from Bodmin.
The services include a 24 hour fuel filling station, a main amenity building with food and retail outlets, shower & toilets, cash point, Wifi, car parking for more than 230 cars and dedicated bays for HGVs, coaches and caravans. There is also a charging point for electric cars, free air and coach and truck drivers have a dedicated washroom block. The amenity building will include well-known brands including McDonald’s, Subway, WH Smith and Costa Coffee.
Cornwall Services has been created with the Cornish locality central to its ethos – including championing some of the very best Cornish food and drink. Three local food concessions feature onsite including Hugo Woolley’s Cornish Delish, the Open Oven Pizza Company and Sausage & Roll – all brand new Cornish businesses appealing to travelling visitors but also to locals who enjoy quality Cornish food.
McDonald’s has also opened a restaurant on the site, which has created 75 local jobs. It includes comfortable seating for over 200 people, power sockets, free WiFi for customers and an outside seating area. It is also the first McDonald’s restaurant in the south-west to offer customers an additional option when placing their order by either traditional till service or with the new self-order kiosks.
Mark Upton is Development Manager of the scheme, as well as the franchisee for the Costa Coffee outlet. The new Costa at Cornwall Services will add to the other outlets that he operates in Cornwall, including Hayle Shopping Park and Pentewan Rd, St. Austell – the flagship store of 9 years which is run by Jen Martyn.
Mark Upton, said: “It is fantastic to see the first phase of the services complete and to open the doors to our first visitors. We wanted to give people visiting Cornwall a relaxing environment to stop and refresh and benefit from all the services and amenities they would typically want from a major service station. But, at the same time we wanted to welcome them with a little taste of Cornwall.
“We are also keen that people who live in Cornwall come and visit us and use the services as a convenient place to meet friends or do business – with great food, easy parking and fantastic views across the Cornish countryside.”
The nine foot tall pizza oven is an imposing structure in the main services and bakes delicious stone baked pizzas, handmade in front of the customers. All the pizzas feature locally sourced ingredients and Open Oven Pizza is also planning seasonal variations, with local seafood and game and root vegetables in the autumn.
Cornish Delish is selling Cornish pasties, using traditional ingredients like Hogs Pudding, Cornish ice-cream milkshakes and cream tea kits. Sausage & Roll brought in top local chef, Lewis Cole and worked closely with Jonathan Tamblyn from Tamblyn Sausages and Chough Bakery to develop its menu.
Hugo Woolley, Owner of Cornish Delish and owner of Woodlands Country House Hotel in Padstow, said: “We saw an opportunity for a Cornish takeaway, which is Cornish food with a Cornish identity but the modern way.”
Franchisee of the new McDonald’s restaurant, David Wynne, said: “As a local businessman, I currently employ 600 staff in restaurants across Cornwall and I’m extremely proud to provide 75 new jobs for Bodmin and the local area. I’m looking forward to offering our loyal customers the good value McDonald’s favourites that they have come to love, as well as welcoming potential new customers who are attracted by our inviting look and feel.”
Ian Humby, Partner of Open Oven Pizza and Sausage & Roll said: “Service stations can be great places to spend an evening meal – the French, Spanish and Italian services are great examples of this. Working with a top local chef and using fresh and local ingredients, we have tasty, wholesome fast food that is also a good, nutritious option for children.”
The services sit on a 58,500 square metre site and completes phase one of a wider development. Phase two will see the addition of a 70-bed hotel with a restaurant, a dedicated Tourist Information Centre, a play area for children, a picnic area and a dog walking path. Work on phase two will start this year and is due to be completed in 2015.