Bizarre £14m tower that looks like something from sci-fi movie abandoned by UK motorway

A bizarre, space-age structure looming over the M6 between Lancaster and Preston has often left stumped.

The Pennine Tower was meant to offer fine dining to motorists, with a 150-seat restaurant serving dishes like lobster and steak, all while enjoying panoramic views of Morecambe Bay. 

Built in 1965 as part of the Forton motorway services, the 90-foot Pennine Tower was originally designed as a futuristic restaurant but has long since been abandoned, leaving only memories of its ambitious beginnings.

Its hexagonal design was considered cutting-edge at the time, reflecting the optimism of the 1960s. 

The tower cost £885,000 to build, which in today’s money equates to around £14million.

Forton services, one of the UK's earliest motorway service areas, aimed to cater to the growing number of drivers, providing facilities on both sides of the motorway connected by an enclosed bridge.

Besides the tower, the services included two self-service cafeterias and dedicated areas for lorry drivers.

However, the tower's lofty ambitions soon fell short. By the late 1970s, the restaurant’s food was receiving harsh reviews, with famed food critic Egon Ronay describing it as "an insult to one's taste buds" in 1978. 

The restaurant was converted into a trucker’s lounge before closing entirely in 1989.

Despite its closure, the tower remains an iconic, if eerie, landmark. 

In 2012, it was awarded Grade II listed status by Historic England, which praised it for its "popularist architecture" and its role as a beacon for passing motorists. 

The structure, with its UFO-like appearance, was emblematic of the era’s architectural daring, designed to give travellers a unique vantage point over the motorway and the surrounding countryside.

Over the years, the tower has been used as office space and storage, but its interior has significantly deteriorated. 

Photos taken in the last decade reveal a building in decay, with outdated furniture and worn green carpets hinting at its past glory.

While the Forton services continue to operate under Moto, serving thousands of motorists daily, the Pennine Tower remains closed to the public. 

Despite its neglected state, it continues to spark fascination and nostalgia, reminding drivers of the bold, futuristic vision that once stood tall on the M6. 

For now, the peculiar £14m tower, reminiscent of a sci-fi movie set, remains a mysterious relic of a bygone era, standing watch over the motorway below.