A new £3.5m Esso-branded petrol station, which includes a Starbucks, KFC and drive-thru Greggs, has been opened by Top 50 Indie Euro Garages

The site is on the A42 near Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, and opened on Friday June 8 following six months of construction.

There will also be a Spar convenience store with electrical charging points to follow by the end of June.

Martin O’Dwyer, sales account manager at Esso, said: “This is a fantastic service station and a fantastic location for us. We’ve worked closely with Euro Garages to ensure the design and construction is of the highest quality.

“Customers entering and leaving Ashby from the east will be able to access modern facilities to rest, relax and refuel.”

Ilyas Munshi, group commercial director at Euro Garages, added: “This is a fantastic development for Ashby that works well with the Premier Inn and McDonald’s that are already established here.

“Not only has this already created 85 jobs, it will attract users of the A42 who might otherwise pass straight through Ashby, providing a boost for the local economy and supporting all the businesses located in this area.”

The Greggs drive-thru is only the second to be built in this country. The first was opened last year by fellow Top 50 Indie Kay Group, at its new-build Texaco site at Irlam in Salford.

Euro Garages founder and co-chief executive officer Zuber Issa said: “We are delighted to be working with Greggs across our UK roadside locations and it is particularly pleasing that they consider the drive-thru format as being relevant for the UK customer.

“Our commitment is to continue to proactively work with Greggs to shape and deliver a comprehensive food-on-the-go offer at our petrol stations.”