I think you were misinformed.

in that I thought the expression came from when the M1 was first built, and the (at the time controversial) signs to "The North" were placed at the Watford Gap, implying that once you went past the Watford Gap, you were indeed in The North. Cue Southern / Northern jokes about being north of the watford gap.

But recently it's been corrupted as the M1 became only one of many motorways, and the Watford Gap services accordingly became a good deal less famous, and people forgot the original derivation and thought that it had something to do with Watford.

But I'm sure someone should be able to do the research and prove which one of us is right....

Posted By: Tricky Hawes, Sep 29, 15:12:34