THE latest stage in the refurbishment of Leeming Bar Services on the A1 is seeing more than £120,000 being spent on a major overhaul of public washrooms and toilets.

The development will have taken ten weeks to complete when it is opened before Easter and, although the project managers are Rampart Interiors of Cheshire, owner Carl Les has ensured that local firms like E and P Electrics, of Bedale, are involved as sub-contractors.

"They will, after all, be the people who will help us to maintain the premises in the future," said Mr Les, "so it makes sense to have them involved in the installation. It's keeping money in the local economy, which has always been important to this business."

The refurbishment, which will produce new washrooms, disabled access, baby changing rooms and showers, will complete the redevelopment of the catering side of the business.

It follows a complete renovation last year of the Leeming Caf, the service area's own 140-seat fast food outlet which features local fresh produce, as does the Yorkshire Maid shop, opened in the car park three years ago.

The walls in the Leeming Caf are decorated with murals painted by local artist Lynn Ward. The caf has been a local landmark since Mr Les's late parents bought and renamed the original Jock's Cafe on the old A1 in Leeming Village in 1947.

The present privately-owned service area on the northbound A1 dual carriageway, more generally known locally as The Lodge at Leeming Bar, was opened as Motel Leeming in 1961 with the building of the Leeming bypass.

Mr Les said: "We will start next on more bedroom refurbishments. Like the Forth Bridge, on a site of this size it never ends."