| Rivington services | |
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| Rivington services when they were operated by First Motorway Services under the name 'Bolton West' | |
| County | Lancashire |
| Road | M61 |
| Coordinates | |
| Operator | Euro Garages |
| Previous operator(s) | Kenning Motor Group, Rank, Pavilion (formerly Granada) and First Motorway Services |
| Previous name(s) | Anderton services; Rivington services; Bolton West services |
| Date opened | 1971 |
| Website | www.eurogarages.com |
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Rivington services (Lancashire)
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Rivington services is a motorway service area in Anderton, Lancashire, England. The service station is situated between junctions 6 and 8 of the M61 motorway (there is no junction 7).
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The services were first built in 1971 under the original name of Anderton services; however, they were later renamed Rivington services, and Bolton West services. In 2011 they retook the name Rivington services after being acquired by Euro Garages from First.[1] It has changed hands a number of times having been owned by the Kenning Motor Group, Rank, Pavilion (formerly Granada), and BP who leased it to First Motorway Services.[1] In the summer of 2009, the service area was acquired by Blackburn-based Euro Garages.[1] After years of criticism, which was dubbed as the worst service station in the country,[2] plans are on the way to demolish the existing buildings and replaced by a smaller main building, petrol station and other facilities and amenities.[3] These new facilities are currently being phased in and includes the forementioned retaking of the name Rivington Services. It is thought that the name was changed in order to remove the connection with the former First-owned services.[4]
When known as Bolton West the services were used in the filming of The Services, a pilot episode for comedian Peter Kay series That Peter Kay Thing, a spoof documentary of a day in the life of motorway service area staff.[5]