South Mimms services

South Mimms services is a motorway service station operated by Welcome Break at the junction of the M25 motorway and the A1 at Bignell's Corner north of London. The siting of the motorway service area has often been criticised, as it is at a heavily congested motorway-motorway intersection. ^[2]

When constructed in 1986, it was the first service area on the M25. The building was destroyed in August 1998, following a fire started a deep fryer and the lack of a suitable fire suppression system; an incident which has been subsequently studied.^[3] A total of four Motorway Service areas planned for the London Orbital motorway; South Mimms services, Thurrock services and Clacket Lane services were initially built The fourth has now been approved at Cobham. The MSA will be accessed between J9 & J10 of the M25, some 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometres) south east of J10 in Surrey. It will be accessible from both sides of the carriageway, and will be situated on the south-side of the carriageway. works are not expected to start before March 2011.

http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/26511.aspx

Trivia

Being situated in a rural location on a major hub of the UK's transport network, South Mimms services provides variety of interest and often serves as a meeting point for illegal activities such as gun and drug deals.

• In 2004, author Roger Green produced a book called Destination Nowhere,^[4] where he attempts to capture everyday life at a Motorway Service Area, finding that far from being dull he is captivated by how unusual the whole experience is.

• South Mimms Services was immortalised in a poem by poet Luke Wright which was performed during Aisle 16's homage to John Betjeman. The poem is entitled "Mimms O'Clock", a pun on the Pimms adverts at the time.

• South Mimms has been a regular 'drop off' point for asylum seekers and illegal immigrants coming to the UK on HGVs for years, as it one of the first stops an HGV driver may make having driven from the Channel Ports. ^[5]

• A man from East London known as the 'Jihad Plumber' was arrested at the service area while attempting to buy weapons such as a rocket launcher in November 2005. ^[6]

• In 2001 police seized drugs worth 12 million pounds from an HGV which had entered the UK from Spain. ^[7]

• South Mimms Services is possibly unique in being a service station on a national cycle route, in this case National Cycle Network route 12, the section in Hertfordshire from Hadley Wood to Hatfield, Hertfordshire.
• There is also a catering trailer on the exit. The only services with one.

External links

• Motorway Services Online - South Mimms

References