Where are the Little Chefs going?
Moderator: Site Management Team
Re: where are the little chefs going?
The LC at Frimley was at Bagshot and was the smallest I think. It was L shaped and, built over a stream, next to a BP garage, which is still there. The LC closed in the 80's and was demolished.
There was one at Blackwater as well, also gone.
There was one at Blackwater as well, also gone.
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
- Ritchie333
- Assistant Site Manager
- Posts: 11765
- Joined: Tue May 20, 2003 20:40
- Location: Ashford, Kent
- Contact:
Re: where are the little chefs going?
I meant to stop into the one on the A12 between Chelmsford and Marks Tey en route to a gig up that way, but I had a few grand's worth of musical gear on the back seat that I didn't fancy leaving in the car park for any length of time. To be honest, I don't really have a particular desire to go in one other than to do so before they all close!
--
SABRE Maps - all the best maps in one place....
SABRE Maps - all the best maps in one place....
- Birchington
- Member
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2004 18:58
Re: where are the little chefs going?
It is a real pity the majority have closed because it is hard to find something to replace their Olympic Breakfast. I'm surprised their use of Heston Blumenthal didn't lead to a longer revival of their fortunes.
Cheers, Birchington
Re: where are the little chefs going?
Given the present restrictions on the use of certain words would LC be able to sell an O_______pic breakfast any more?
- Birchington
- Member
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2004 18:58
Re: where are the little chefs going?
They were talking about that on HIGNFY the other week. Apparently there's now a 'Lympic' café in London and some businesses have resorted to replacing 'pic' with 'pus', with some hilarious signs. The Olympic trademark management seems to be extremely overzealous, especially with how it is targetting small businesses.B1040 wrote:Given the present restrictions on the use of certain words would LC be able to sell an O_______pic breakfast any more?
Cheers, Birchington
Re: where are the little chefs going?
It is surprising given that the ethos of the olympics is one of non-commercialism ... #
"The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. "
edit: ... gone completely off-topic.
The hignfy did specifically mention LC's breakfast and LC are still using the term ,. see here
"The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. "
edit: ... gone completely off-topic.
The hignfy did specifically mention LC's breakfast and LC are still using the term ,. see here
- Birchington
- Member
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2004 18:58
Re: where are the little chefs going?
I always laugh at the irony of McDonalds and Cadbury giving a fair amount of money to an event designed to promote sports.
Cheers, Birchington
Re: where are the little chefs going?
No, but during the Beijing Olympics, what with Michael Phelps' diet being publicised, I ate a Little Chef Olympic Breakfast and felt that the Trade Descriptions Act should have had them down for not being big enough.B1040 wrote:Given the present restrictions on the use of certain words would LC be able to sell an O_______pic breakfast any more?
The Olympic breakfast of Michael Phelps:
- three fried egg sandwiches, with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, fried onions and mayonnaise
- three chocolate-chip pancakes
- a five-egg omelette
- three sugar-coated slices of French toast
- a bowl of grits
- two cups of coffee
- Two rashers of back bacon
- sausage
- two free range griddled eggs
- mushroom
- sauté potatoes
- griddled tomato
- baked beans
- toast or fried bread
Then again, if you look at the price of a Little Chef Olympic Breakfast (£7.99 - admittedly the same as 4 years ago), it's not hard to see why they have struggled. That's a 10 item breakfast (and each item is quite small) - the non-student price for that at Southampton University Student Union (the one 10-item I can recall the price of) is less than half that, and likewise at most greasy spoons throughout the land, you'd be able to get that amount of breakfast, with a drink, for not much more than £5.
The price was really my complaint - certainly the Olympic breakfast didn't really need to be bigger - it just needed to be cheaper.
"“Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations" Thomas Jefferson
- Birchington
- Member
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2004 18:58
Re:
The OK Diner at Stamford does fantastic pancakes and milkshake. I was pleasantly surprised!Sam wrote:I've stopped at all three OK Diners on the A1.
Cheers, Birchington
Re: Re:
And is one of the few places in Britain where you can get Root Beer tooBirchington wrote:The OK Diner at Stamford does fantastic pancakes and milkshake. I was pleasantly surprised!Sam wrote:I've stopped at all three OK Diners on the A1.
Re: where are the little chefs going?
I only drink coffee, can't even bear the smell of tea but I often now don't bother when I see the price of a cup of coffee. To add insult to injury you have to wait quite a time for these expensive coffees to be prepared, a simple cup of Nescafe would be fine for me!DavidNW9 wrote:It's a shame people would rather pay nearly £3 for a coffee than wait half an hour for a decent British meal.
JMB
Fort William
http://www.mbriscoe.me.uk
"Give me the third best technology. The second best won't be ready in time. The best will never be ready." Robert Watson-Watt
Fort William
http://www.mbriscoe.me.uk
"Give me the third best technology. The second best won't be ready in time. The best will never be ready." Robert Watson-Watt
Re: where are the little chefs going?
People should respond by using the alternative name "Drugfest" for the duration of the event, that would probably annoy the O#####c Police more! Drugfest Breakfast, Drugfest Cafe ....Birchington wrote:They were talking about that on HIGNFY the other week. Apparently there's now a 'Lympic' café in London and some businesses have resorted to replacing 'pic' with 'pus', with some hilarious signs. The Olympic trademark management seems to be extremely overzealous, especially with how it is targetting small businesses.B1040 wrote:Given the present restrictions on the use of certain words would LC be able to sell an O_______pic breakfast any more?
JMB
Fort William
http://www.mbriscoe.me.uk
"Give me the third best technology. The second best won't be ready in time. The best will never be ready." Robert Watson-Watt
Fort William
http://www.mbriscoe.me.uk
"Give me the third best technology. The second best won't be ready in time. The best will never be ready." Robert Watson-Watt
Re: where are the little chefs going?
Here is a site devoted to them, old and new
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shandiness/
There is still one of the pair on the A3 at Burntcommon as well, I ought to drop in some time while it's still there.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shandiness/
There is still one of the pair on the A3 at Burntcommon as well, I ought to drop in some time while it's still there.
Re: where are the little chefs going?
They are trying now to attract more customers through price cuts, as shown at A303 West Knoyle. Whether it is too late to overturn peoples pre-conceptions of high prices, only time will tell.
Two of these are cheaper than a coffee on its own.
Two of these are cheaper than a coffee on its own.
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
Re: where are the little chefs going?
I didn't do trademark law (not many people do) but extending normal contract restrictions I do know they can't normally backdate them. The radio said Olympic was trademarked around the 80s, the Olympic Cafe in Neasden has been there about as long as me (the 60s) so can't see any reason for them to change. I also reckon if they all joined together they could bust the rule anyway as there are also precedents against public policy, and wrecking hundreds of business is a good example. It's always time and money which stops these idiotic rules being tested, not the law.
- PeterA5145
- Member
- Posts: 25347
- Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2002 00:19
- Location: Stockport, Cheshire
- Contact:
Re: where are the little chefs going?
I saw a sign the other day for an OLYMMPIC FUN RUN, which I thought was a misspelling, but may well not have been.
“The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire.” – Robert A. Heinlein
Re: where are the little chefs going?
Actually, the Olympics have their own law, rather than rely in trademarks.DavidNW9 wrote:I didn't do trademark law (not many people do) but extending normal contract restrictions I do know they can't normally backdate them. The radio said Olympic was trademarked around the 80s, the Olympic Cafe in Neasden has been there about as long as me (the 60s) so can't see any reason for them to change. I also reckon if they all joined together they could bust the rule anyway as there are also precedents against public policy, and wrecking hundreds of business is a good example. It's always time and money which stops these idiotic rules being tested, not the law.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/32/contents
The law allows anyone who was using the term Olympics before it was enacted (1995) to continue. It also applies to business names for bodies corporate, but I'm not sure if it would cover sole traders "trading as" Olympic Cafe, or whatever.
I didn't want to believe my Dad was stealing from his job as a road worker. But when I got home, all the signs were there.
Re: where are the little chefs going?
Guys, can we keep the Olympic talk for the unleashed forum. There is a thread there which talks about the same stuff. Thanks
SJ
SJ
- Ritchie333
- Assistant Site Manager
- Posts: 11765
- Joined: Tue May 20, 2003 20:40
- Location: Ashford, Kent
- Contact:
Re: where are the little chefs going?
Went past the Little Chef on the A2 near Dunkirk here yesterday, and there was a small sign posted to the window saying "We are open". Because, to be frank, it looked shut from the outside.
--
SABRE Maps - all the best maps in one place....
SABRE Maps - all the best maps in one place....
- haymansafc
- Member
- Posts: 4808
- Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2006 16:52
- Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
Re: where are the little chefs going?
Another local Little Chef has recently closed. This one on the A41 just off junction 5 of the M53. I passed here a week ago and the building is boarded up with the road sign removed.
I'm genuinely surprised at the loss of this one because it fronts a Travelodge and is (or was) quite busy as Little Chef's go whenever I went past. Travelodge guests would also mean a regular stream of traffic – or at least I'd presumed so.
Those from the Travelodge will now have to travel up to Eastham or down to Hooton/Little Sutton to find something to eat/drink.
If these sites are now facing the chop, I fear for the future of the company.
I'm genuinely surprised at the loss of this one because it fronts a Travelodge and is (or was) quite busy as Little Chef's go whenever I went past. Travelodge guests would also mean a regular stream of traffic – or at least I'd presumed so.
Those from the Travelodge will now have to travel up to Eastham or down to Hooton/Little Sutton to find something to eat/drink.
If these sites are now facing the chop, I fear for the future of the company.
The journey is never over until the arrival.