Popular meeting point Ballinluig Motor Grill undergoing exciting new refurbishment

dailyrecord.co.uk:

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.