Pennine Tower

Following World War II, an expanded network of motorways began to crop up across the United Kingdom. The construction of these roads also brought the rise of service areas where drivers could get gasoline and refreshments, as well as use the restroom.

Forton Services, which is now called Lancaster Services, was one of several service areas built along the M6 Motorway running from the West Midlands near Coventry through Northwest England to the Scottish border north of Carlisle. At the time it was constructed in the 1960s, service areas didn't have advertisements along the motorway, so the developers decided to construct a 65 foot tall observation tower to grab people’s attention.

The futuristic-looking Pennine Tower opened in 1965 as a fine dining restaurant featuring items including steak and lobster. While the restaurant was originally considered quite prestigious, it had difficulty attracting customers and was logistically difficult to operate, leading its food quality to declined over time. It would later be converted into a truckers lounge before being closed to the public in 1989 and converted to offices for the service area. After another 15 years, it ceased to be used and was completely shuttered, although the rest of the service area has continues to operate today.

Despite its closure, the Pennine Tower became a symbol for people driving along the M6 in Northwest England, and it is also widely recognized as a notable example of post-World War II Brutalist architecture, earning the structure Grade II listed status in 2012. In spite of this listing, the tower is still not in use, and the accumulation of dirt and detritus within the tower means that it is unlikely to open without serious levels of investment.