Where are the Little Chefs going?

SarahJ · Post by **SarahJ** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 18:46

In the last two months two little Chefs along the A27 have closed. One near Lewes and the other near Worthing. Whats going on?
I know over the last few years their standards have slipped while prices have gone up, but to see two close in such a short time!!!! Is it the same around the country?
I guess the one at Worthing closed because a Mcdonalds opened up just down the road at Arundel, but the one at Lewes, I'm not sure why???
SJ

686Carl · Post by **686Carl** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 18:52

The Little Chef on the A595 just west of Carlisle has closed recently
aswell but there are still signs directing people to "Local Services" and the
people are finding nothing but a car showroom and filling station which have no
public toilets and this causing a lot of misunderstandings and arguments.

Its only since Little Chef were taken over by an investment company in
2002/2003 that restaurants have been closing.

(The Little Chefs at Moto Service Areas are franchises run by Compass Group
the previous owners of the Little Chef chain)

PeterA5145 · Post by **PeterA5145** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 18:57

One on the A6 between Disley and New Mills in Cheshire has recently closed too.

It's the typical venture capitalist approach - squeeze the business dry and then sell it on. Just like the AA - a friend works for them and says morale is at rock bottom at present.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 19:01

Disappearing Little Chefs

Jimbo · Post by **Jimbo** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 19:02

Little Chefs are being undercut by McDonalds et al, who are opening more and more out of town resturants.

Jim.

PeterA5145 · Post by **PeterA5145** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 19:04

I think the development of Brewer's Fayre type pubs on out-of-town sites has also harmed their trade - for example there's a massive one on the A616/A61 roundabout north of Sheffield.

Peter

Truvelo · Post by **Truvelo** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 19:30

The Little Chef I'm surprised still exists is the one next to the A1(M) at Sawtry. The entrance is off the road running parallel to the motorway and they've stuck a sign outside to let people know where the entrance is.
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x ... srf&dn=597

ABeaton · Post by **ABeaton** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 20:17

I also notise there are fewer Little Chefs these days. The one at Ambergate is now if I'm remember a restarnt while the one at the A78 is a diffent restrant. The wee one on the A66 is also closed.
Meanwhile at Colsterworth, the old Happy Eater is now a Chinise Restrant. Must be the only Chinise restaunt like by the road side. Has any other Little Chef/old Happy eater been converted to more 'exsoic' restrants?
A. Beaton

jonlouis · Post by **jonlouis** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 21:55

Also while we're on this, has anyone ever stopped in one of the OK Diners on the A1 (somewhere N of A14)? I keep meaning to stop and try them out as they look interesting, but I'm never hungry when I drive past!

Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 21:58

I was going to pull in to that services in Rutland (I think it's around there) for some food, but then decided against it. I would have done if I had seen there was an Ok Diner. There's one near me and they do the best hangover breakfast for miles.

Back to the point of Little Chef's, isn't there one on the the A1(M) Peterborough motorway, right next door to a closed one? (Some sort of octagonal shaped building.)

mrmole369 · Post by **mrmole369** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 08:54

Maybe the one in Lewes closed because it used to be a nice pub for walkers to stop at on the Southdowns Way - a Little Chef is not quite the same thing so I doubt it got much business esp as Lewes is near and Brighton is near - and then they closed the gap so the East bound traffic could not get to it

* SarahJ (SarahJ8231@aol.com) wrote:
>
> In the last two months two little Chefs along the A27 have closed. One near Lewes and the other near Worthing. Whats going on? I know over the last few years their standards have slipped while prices have gone up, but to see two close in such a short time!!!! Is it the same around the country? I guess the one at Worthing closed because a Mcdonalds opened up just down the road at Arundel, but the one at Lewes, I'm not sure why??? SJ
>

SarahJ · Post by **SarahJ** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 09:26

When I drive between London and Newcastle I allways seem to stop at the OK Diners on the A1, esp the one south of Doncaster. And the reason, well they are not Little Chefs.(not bad food tho')I always got anoyed when Little chef took over the Happy Eaters or Kellys Kitchen (Wideopen A1/A19) and the first thing they did was pull down the swings and things. 'Hey your kinds are bored stiff, so here, have a free Daily Mail'. Was this a ploy so you would not notice how long you were waiting for them to microwave a pre-packed omelette????
I guess this is why they are going. Just a bit sad that the only thing to eat on a trip will be a Big Mac. At least if i so stop there I go in and eat it. Never understood people who drive through, and then eat it in their car in the car park. All it does is fill your car with dropped 'fries' and ketchup blobs on your seats.
All I gotta try now is Ram-Jam, anyone been in?
SJ

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 10:05

The LC on the A5 at Cannock's gone (I hear). No doubt due to the M6T.

Paul

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 10:13

<<(Some sort of octagonal shaped building.)>>

Do you mean the Flying Saucer near Norman Cross?

Paul

Sam · Post by **Sam** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:14

I've stopped at all three OK Diners on the A1. They're good fun: a change from the usual McBurgers and definitely worth a try. The newest one (A1 southbound on the Lincs/Rutland border) is particularlyuseful as there's a dearth of services on that stretch. (There's no on-road petrolsouth ofColsterworth for a very long way, unless you want a proper stop in the Xtra services on the A1(M).)

jonlouis · Post by **jonlouis** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:36

A friend of mine has been raving about his one visit to the Ram Jam Inn for years.

samxool · Post by **samxool** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:56

All i cansay to little chefs closing is GOOD RIDDANCE!!
Over-priced, seriously crap food!!
i hate the place, i'd rather pay stupidly high prices for a pasty and a bag of crisps aas a petrol station than risk touching the vomit-inducing cardboard they pull out of the microwave at Little chef - they are truely a national disgrace

Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:59

Aha, Norman Cross, yes Paul; that's the one. I knew it wasn't too far off the A15 / P'boro junction.

The thing about Little Chef's for me, is that they take me back to the days of going to the West Country with my Dad. Often used to stop around Chicklade on the A303. One thing you have to hand to them is, they do the best kids lollies ever!

I think it's a shame that they are dying out, but I do agree they're not doing themselves any favour with tatty kitchens, 70's plastic chairs and over priced meals.

RFT · Post by **RFT** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 13:19

To be fair to them, I think they're improved a bit in recent times. I've stopped at a few in the last year ar so, as multimap were putting 25% discount vouchers at the bottom of every printout- which made eating there fairly competitive. like most chains, they have the advantage that if you're outside you area of local knowledge, you can at least be assured of some sort of standard when you go to one, instead of risking an unknown cafe or trying to find a supermarket or something similar.

coasterjunkie · Post by **coasterjunkie** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 19:55

The one on the A6 near New Mills has shut recently too.
Andy