A much-loved meeting place on the A9 is undergoing an exciting new refurbishment.
Upgrade work on the Motor Grill at Ballinluig Services was set to begin this week and will take six weeks to complete.
Visualisations shared online showed the fresh new interior but director Claire Bridges told the PA that the family and community feel will remain as strong as ever.
The Motor Grill is approaching its 40 year anniversary having first opened its doors in 1984 and continues to be a popular stop-off for truckers and tourists making their way up and down the A9.
“We are nearing that 40 years,” said Claire, who is from Ballinluig herself.
“We have kept up with decoration and replaced carpets but have never really heavily invested in it.
“I feel like now is the time, just for a bit of change.
“We have laid out six weeks [for the refurbishment] and the guys are quite confident of finishing in that timescale.”
As well as truckers and tourists, The Motor Grill has become a focal point for the Highland Perthshire community with many loyal regulars who drop in on a weekly basis.
“I didn’t want it to be something it is not,” Claire added. “I wanted it to be a similar layout, but newer.
“Ninety-five per cent of people think it is great and are really excited. The staff are very excited.
“There is a percentage of people who are like: ‘No, don’t change it.’ But there are things that need to be upgraded.
“We have lots of locals and, absolutely, the food is not changing.
“Most of the staff have worked for years and years. The management team in the Motor Grill have been in place 20-plus years.
“I enjoy the community sense of Ballinluig Services because it is like a mini hub. People come for their papers every morning and are there for half an hour having a blether.
“We have loyal people who come in two or three times a week for their tea. They like having the relationship with the staff at the Motor Grill. There is a family feel, which you might not get at other places.”
Ballinluig Services, one of the biggest employers in the area, has always been in the family and Claire is proud to be continuing the success story.
Her father, Clive, initially opened Ballinluig Services in 1970 and, back then, the scene was three pumps and a recovery workshop to fix HGVs. He would later establish the Motor Grill.
“We are proud that people going up and down the A9 stop in,” Claire added.
“When people are travelling the A9 it is a nice place to stop. It has been very busy and hopefully that continues. Fortunately we always have that passing trade. We’ll do the upgrade and I dare say there will be a bit of a celebration.
“We had our 50th year for the garage side of things in March 2020 after Dad had started it from nothing.”
With a smile, she concluded: “I am in with the woodwork, literally blood, sweat and tears. You don’t switch off.”
