John and Barbara Dunning faced a major change when a highway sliced through their Cumbria farm, located in an area celebrated for its breathtaking Lake District National Park. Instead of seeing this as a downfall, they viewed it as an opportunity for growth. Compelled to sell part of their land for the highway, the Dunnings ingeniously turned this obstacle into a chance to start a new venture. By the late 1960s, they had launched Tebay Services, the first family-owned motorway service area in the U.K., emphasizing local products.
Their daughter, Sarah Dunning, recounts the early days of Tebay, which began in 1972. It was initially a modest stop along the M6 motorway, featuring a small cafe with homemade food and a shop offering local crafts, and they joined forces with the Birketts family bakery.
Today, Tebay has expanded significantly. It now includes facilities on both sides of the motorway, a hotel, a caravan park, and stores selling products from their farm. Under Sarah Dunning’s leadership, the Westmorland Family group now oversees Tebay, as well as other rest stops in Gloucestershire and Lanarkshire, and a community center in Rheged, Lake District.
