Corley services

{{Short description|Motorway service station in Warwickshire, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox Motorway Services |image = Corley Services.jpg |image_caption = Corley services |name = Corley Services |road = M6 |county = Warwickshire |operator = Welcome Break |previousoperator = |previousnames = |dateopened = 17 January 1972{{cn|date=July 2024}} |website = {{Official URL|https://welcomebreak.co.uk/locations/corley/}} |location_map = Warwickshire#United Kingdom motorways |map_caption = Location in Warwickshire, England##Location on the UK motorway network |coordinates = {{coord|52.4722|-1.5480|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} }} '''Corley services''' is a motorway service station between junctions 3 and 3A of the M6 motorway in the county of Warwickshire, England. It is close to the village of Corley, with the nearest city being Coventry several miles to the south, with Birmingham being situated slightly further to the west. A footbridge, made of concrete but now clad in green fibreglass panelling, spans the motorway to link services on both sides.

==History== ===Construction=== At Corley Moor, a service area was proposed on in 1968 on a {{convert|36|acre|sing=on}} site.<ref>''Wolverhampton Express and Star'' 14 October 1968, page 8</ref>

Forte was awarded the £500,000 contract in May 1969, to open in late 1971.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 29 May 1969, page 1</ref> It is situated on the Ansty to Coleshill section of the M6, which opened on 1 July 1971.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 30 June 1971, page 6</ref> The site would have room for 400 cars, 150 lorries, and 24 coaches.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 15 December 1971, page 11</ref><ref>[https://www.macearchive.org/films/atv-today-01071971-report-new-12-mile-stretch-m6 ATV report July 1971]</ref>

The northbound side opened on 17 January 1972 (six months after the section of motorway it serves) and was originally operated by Forte.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 10 January 1972, page 39</ref> The southbound side would open possibly by late March 1972, when the M6 was fully open.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 9 February 1972, page 7</ref>

There was mining subsidence from Coventry Colliery in May 1975, which closed the northbound site.<ref>''Times'' May 30 1975, page 2</ref> In February 1975, Forte tried to stop the National Coal Board from mining near the service area, but could not.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 27 February 1975, page 2</ref> The northbound side reopened in late 1978.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 8 July 1978, page 15</ref>

In 1979, Forte opened their first 'Julie's Pantry' at the site.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 3 September 1979, page 10</ref> In May 1980, when run as a 'Motor Chef', it was named in the top three UK service areas.<ref>''Birmingham Mail'' 6 May 1980, page 9</ref>

===Operation=== It is currently operated by Welcome Break and receives approximately 2{{nbsp}}million visitors per year.{{cn|date=September 2024}} It had changed to Welcome Break in May 1988.<ref>''Peterborough Evening Telegraph'' 21 July 1987, page 23</ref>

In early August 1983, Forte negotiated a deal with National Express Coaches for its London-Birmingham Rapide service to have a staging post at the service area, with a park-and-ride service into Coventry. The service began from late September 1983.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 23 September 1983, page 8</ref>

The ''Midlands Today'' hosted a Children in Need event at Corley in November 1984.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 24 November 1984, page 20</ref>

In the late 1980s, the company National Holidays also operated a staging post at the service area, for switching regional coaches.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 7 April 1988, page 4</ref> It was not just coach services that operated staging posts at the service area; drugs routes passed through the service area as well. West Midlands Police seized £1{{nbsp}}million of heroin at the service area in November 1995.<ref>''Birmingham Mail'' 4 November 1995, page 1</ref>

In December 2003, Corley gained a permanent Police Community Support Officer, jointly funded by Welcome Break and Warwickshire Police.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.warwickshire.police.uk/newsandappeals/currentappeals/pressarchive/031215CorleyBeat|title=Warwickshire Police}}{{Dead link|date=October 2010}}</ref>

===Incidents=== On 4 May 1974 Liverpool football fans, travelling south to the 1974 FA Cup final, wrecked the gaming machines at the service area.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 4 May 1974, page 21</ref> Twenty-three Liverpool fans were arrested in August 1977, after stealing cans of drink from the cafeteria, in the early hours of the morning, being held at Nuneaton police station.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 15 August 1977, page 6</ref>

In December 1977, all football coaches were banned from all Motor Chef service areas. Football fans had vandalised service areas and ransacked retail outlets, and Forte decided that this could go on no more; it would safeguard everyone else.<ref>''Coventry Evening Telegraph'' 29 December 1977, page 24</ref>

On the evening of 16 November 1981, in a police operation against IRA bombings in London, a van at the service area was found to have gelignite. The driver was taken to Bedworth police station.<ref>''Wolverhampton Express and Star'' 18 November 1981, page 24</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == *{{Official website|https://welcomebreak.co.uk/locations/corley/}}

{{Motorway service station succession box | road = M6 motorway | labels = s-n | before = Rugby<br />Watford Gap on M1 | after = Hilton Park<br/>Norton Canes (M6 Toll)<br />Telford (M54) }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corley Services}} Category:Borough of North Warwickshire Category:Economy of Warwickshire Category:M6 motorway service stations Category:Transport in Warwickshire Category:Welcome Break motorway service stations