Plans for a new luxury service station on the M56 near Manchester are set to be approved at a planning meeting next week.
It’s no exaggeration to say Tatton Services would be so much more than your average service station.
Coming from the Westmoreland Family and the Tatton Estate, the former of which is the company behind the stunning Tebay Services, and its equally-as-stunning sister sites down near Gloucester and up near Lanark in Scotland, Tatton Services would pop up on a stretch of the M56 just miles from Manchester, making it the ideal stop-off for us lot when we’re heading on long journeys.
If you’re not familiar with Tebay, it’s also known as the little slice of motorway services heaven just off the M6 in Cumbria, and it just so happens to have been named the best service station in the country in a new survey.
Tebay has gained somewhat of a cult following, and is known and loved for its lakeside setting and rural surroundings, stunning spacious interior with vaulted ceilings, the wealth of cafes and restaurants serving up dishes home-cooked on site, and its farm shop selling all sorts of local produce.
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Plans for a new luxury service station on M56 near Manchester set to be approved / Credit: Tatton Services
So if Tatton Services even comes remotely close to resembling this – and it certainly sounds like it would do – then we’re in for a real treat.
The proposed Tatton Services could be built near junctions seven and eight of the M56, which is not far from Altrincham and Manchester Airport.
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Plans have been submitted to Cheshire East Council by the Westmoreland Family and Tatton Estate as part of the 80/20 partnership, and if approved, the site would feature a farm shop, a kitchen, a 100-bed hotel, a petrol station and several electric vehicle charging points, and so much more, as well as creating 558 jobs during its expected two-year construction, and eventually employing 223 staff.
The plans have been recommended for approval by Cheshire East Council before it goes to its planning committee next week, despite their being 150 letters of objection submitted.
Tatton Services is the latest venture from Tebay owners, the Westmoreland Family / Credit: Tatton Services
The letters of objection – which crucially included one from Trafford Council – were submitted on the basis that the service station would be built on green belt land, and would therefore be inappropriate for the area.
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But about 30 letters of support were received from local residents, business organisations, and other companies to outweigh this.
When recommending the scheme for approval, planning officers at Cheshire East Council said, although it would be an inappropriate development in the green belt, the harm was “clearly outweighed by the need for the proposal”.
They cited highways safety benefits, economic benefits, and opportunities for employment and local businesses as positives.
Planning officers did, however, note that due to the scale and nature of the Tatton Services proposal, the plans would need to be referred to the Secretary of State.
The plans will be discussed by Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board on 25 October.
Featured Image – Tatton Services
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The 2027 World Climbing Series is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
In yet more huge sporting news for Greater Manchester, the 2027 World Climbing Series is coming to 0161 later this year.
We’ve had plenty of big peaks of late, but things seem to just keep going up and up.
Set to host the global event for the first time in our history, Manchester will welcome the World Climbing Series (WCS), which is set to include both Olympic and Paralympic disciplines ahead of the next Summer Games in 2028.
2027 will mark the 38th edition of the series, which will also be one of only a handful to be held in the North – it’s just down to our city to make it the best.
Officially announced on Friday, 16 January, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) confirmed the return to the UK.
Founded back in 1989, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) is coming up on four decades since the competition first began – Leeds being chosen as the inaugural hosts – the event has come a long way since then.
The IFSC’s rebranding of the annual bouldering, lead and speed trials to the modern WSC, which began last year, was initially revealed back in 2023.
Welcoming continental talent right down to the youth level, the upcoming 2026 World Climbing Series is taking place in the summer and will be hosted by the city of Innsbruck in Austria.
As for the WSC’s Manchester debut, which is being organised in collaboration with the City Council, Manchester Accommodation BID, MCR Active and the National Lottery via UK Sport investment.
It’s not the only big sporting celebration that the Council will be supporting in 2027.
Paul Ratcliffe, CEO of the British Mountaineering Council, said in an official statement: “It’s exciting to be able to confirm that a World Series climbing event will return to the UK in 2027 as part of the BMC’s major event programme.
“Hosting a competition of this scale in Manchester is a strong statement about the UK’s place on the international climbing stage and a great opportunity for our athletes, fans, the climbing community and the wider public to experience the sport at the very highest level.
“Our ‘Route to Adventure’ strategy sets out how we will build on moments like this to support people into climbing and help them progress, whatever their starting point. Using major events to inspire participation, strengthen pathways and reinforce our commitment to inclusion is central to our long-term approach.”
Scheduled to take place in June, you can find out more information about the 2027 World Climbing Series in Manchester by signing up for the official event mailing list HERE.
The Tour de France is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
It’s official: both the male and female Tour de France are coming to Greater Manchester and nine other destinations across the UK in 2027.
As one of the biggest locations on the list, it’s another big sporting landmark for us Mancs.
Confirmed on Thursday, 15 January, the men’s race and the Tour de France Femmes (TdFF) will be passing through our region next summer.
Revealing the news in an exciting announcement video on social media, you can see the other cities and towns that the world-famous endurance event will be hitting here:
With Greater Manchester boasting not only the National Cycling Centre, but having already hosted the Tour of Britain – which has passed through Altrincham on multiple ocassions – we’re well-versed when it comes to the sport.
It’s been more than a decade since the Tour de France last took place in the UK, with London and Yorkshire hosting three stages of the biggest date on the annual cycling calendar back in 2014.
Fast forward a dozen years, and not only will they both be participating again, but Great Britain will see dual Grand Départs for men and women for the very first time.
Not only are we buzzing that the racing will be returning to our friends in Leeds and Sheffield, but also nice to see other Northern regions lending their roads and stunning landscapes, such as the Lake District and wider parts of Cumbria.
You can see the full route map broken down below.
🇬🇧 Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, London 🇬🇧
💛 Grand Départ Great Britain 2027: in the footsteps of the pioneers!
— Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) January 15, 2026
Speaking in an official press release, race director Christian Prudhomme said: “The UK has always welcomed the Tour with passion and pride, and the route details we are revealing today reflect the beauty and diversity of Britain’s terrain.”
“Bringing both Grand Départs here is a testament to the strength of our partnership with British Cycling and the enthusiasm of the UK.”
TdFF counterpart, Marion Rousse, added: “The UK has played an important role in the history of women’s cycling, with champions such as Lizzie Deignan.
“Starting the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in Leeds is a strong choice, closely linked to this heritage and to the enthusiasm of a public that knows and loves the Tour. These stages clearly reflect the race’s ambition: to continue growing women’s cycling and to inspire future generations.”
Emily Sergeant -
19th October 2023 
