Sedgemoor services

{{Short description|Motorway service station in Somerset, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Use British English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox Motorway Services |image=Sedgemoor Services - geograph.org.uk - 1254691.jpg |name=Sedgemoor Services |previousnames=Brent Knoll Rest Area |road=M5 motorway |county=Somerset |location_map = Somerset |coordinates = {{coord|51.2689|-2.9215|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} |North_operator=Welcome Break |North_dateopened=1987 |North_fuelbrand=Shell |North_website= {{URL|https://welcomebreak.co.uk/locations/sedgemoor/}} |South_operator=Roadchef |South_dateopened= May 1986 |South_fuelbrand=Esso |South_website= {{URL|https://www.roadchef.com/locations/sedgemoor-south}} }}

'''Sedgemoor services''' is a motorway service station on the M5 motorway near the village of Rooks Bridge in Somerset, England. The location of the services can be identified from a long distance because of their proximity to Brent Knoll, an isolated hill on the Somerset Levels.

The northbound station is operated by Welcome Break, and the southbound station is operated by Roadchef.

The northbound station is one of fourteen service stations for which large murals were commissioned from artist David Fisher in the 1990s, designed to reflect the local area and history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.davidfisherartist.co.uk/achievements.html |title=David Fisher – Somerset Art – Commercial Works & Commissions |accessdate=6 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091025095053/http://www.davidfisherartist.co.uk/achievements.html |archivedate=25 October 2009 }}</ref>

==History== The sites opened in 1970 as Brent Knoll Rest Area by the Department for Transport; however, after high rates of crime, the services were transferred to Welcome Break and Roadchef.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}} They were upgraded to Motorway Service Area status in 1987 after two service buildings were added.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

===Construction=== Construction for the RoadChef side started on Friday 6 December 1985. Sedgemoor District Council had given planning permission for the site in the same week. It would cost £15m on 20 acres on the southbound side.<ref>''Western Daily Press'' Saturday 7 December 1985, page 6</ref><ref>''Bristol Evening Post'' Saturday 7 December 1985, page 7</ref> It opened in early May 1986.<ref>''Gloucester Citizen'' Wednesday 7 May 1986, page 9</ref> The northbound side opened in April 1987.<ref>''Bristol Evening Post'' Thursday 16 April 1987, page 23</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{official website|https://welcomebreak.co.uk/locations/sedgemoor/}} – Sedgemoor northbound *{{official website|https://www.roadchef.com/locations/sedgemoor-south}} – Sedgemoor southbound

{{UK Motorway Service Station succession box |road=M5 Motorway |before=Gordano |after=Bridgwater }}

Category:1986 establishments in England Category:Buildings and structures in Sedgemoor Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1986 Category:M5 motorway service stations Category:RoadChef motorway service stations Category:Transport in Somerset Category:Transport infrastructure completed in 1986 Category:Welcome Break motorway service stations