The service area was built by
Ross Group, after
Leicester Forest East, with
Hartshead Moor services.
Construction The services were built by Monk. Planning consent had been given in July 1970.
Food It was designed by Howard V Lobb, to have three restaurants: • truckers, 80 seats • general self-service cafeteria area, 180 seats • grill room, with waitress service, 120 seats
Opening The eastbound side only opened for petrol and toilets in February 1972, but there were no meals until October 1972. The westbound side opened on Thursday 15 June 1972, with a snack bar, in a
portakabin. By March 1973, it was announced that the full service area would open at the end of May 1973. On 22 December 1971, a stretch of the M4 was opened between
Badbury, Wiltshire near Swindon, and the
Holyport Interchange on the
A423(M); it was opened at 11 am by
Michael Heseltine, and his daughter Alexandria, at the Holyport Interchange. The M4 section was the longest stretch of motorway to be opened in England, since the
M1 in 1959. The service area is on the Theale to Shefford Woodlands section, which is ; the route was announced in December 1966, but altered in November 1967 after objections. The only services on the M4 in December 1971 were at
Heston and
Aust; Membury opened in February 1972; more service areas had been planned, but never built. The
Winnersh Interchange, with the
A329(M), opened in early 1973.
Buildings Shell would run the pumps.
Planned services on the M4 Other M4 service areas were planned at Warren Copse near
Shurlock Row and
Waltham St Lawrence (B3018), Furze Hill (B4009,
Hermitage, Berkshire), and Ashes Copse near
Bradfield, Berkshire; in June 1972,
Berkshire County Council looked at Upper Wood Farm on Cutbush Lane in
Earley, owned by the
University of Reading. ==Facilities==