Anyone hitting the roads this bank holiday weekend may find some bitter amusement in contemplating, from the comfort of yet another jam, the excitement surrounding the opening of Britain’s first motorway in 1959 – so strong was the lure of speeding traffic that one public information film from the period shows thrill seekers picnicking on the hard shoulder.
These auto tourists didn’t have much choice: the only thing open for business that first day were two filling stations and a few temporary loos – garden sheds selling sandwiches followed within weeks. When the services at Newport Pagnell were finally ready ten months later, such a crowd gathered outside clamouring for a taste of this brave new world that they were forced to open two hours early. The Times reported high customer satisfaction with the smart design and modish menu of hamburgers and hot dogs at the café, while the critic Egon Ronay advised his readers they could “stop with confidence” at the fancier Grill and Griddle for luxuries such as prawn cocktail and steak, served “in full armchair comfort”.
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