Abandoned Stores

[Pete]

I notice our Litter Chef has became something called "MJ's"

I'm tempted to visit to see how ghastly it'll be.

[Sput]

I notice our Litter Chef has became something called "MJ's"

I'm tempted to visit to see how ghastly it'll be.

Worst case scenario:

[rdobbie]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39611466@N ... 436640340/

Of all the weird retail experiences I've had, this one was certainly up there. A former BK/Little Chef outlet, now just trading as BK (with the Little Chef kitchen behind a false wall) but still being run by Little Chef, with the dining room still with all Little Chef's fittings, paintwork and beyond threadbare carpet. There was even a staff award type thing on show with Little Chef's most recent branding.

Wow! Interesting find. Burger King seem to operate in mysterious ways; 2 years ago I posted about a derelict Burger King in Macclesfield but last month it reopened as a Burger King after standing empty for many years. If it wasn't viable then, why do they think it would be viable now?

I notice the site you posted about is conjoined to a Travelodge. The meltdown of Little Chef has caused a bit of a headache for Travelodge as it was originally a mutually beneficial partnership, but many Travelodges no longer have anywhere for their guests to buy breakfast or supper. They now post a warning on the webpages of the affected hotels: "Little Chef have closed their restaurant that operates on the same site as the Travelodge hotel. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

[WillPS]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39611466@N ... 436640340/

Of all the weird retail experiences I've had, this one was certainly up there. A former BK/Little Chef outlet, now just trading as BK (with the Little Chef kitchen behind a false wall) but still being run by Little Chef, with the dining room still with all Little Chef's fittings, paintwork and beyond threadbare carpet. There was even a staff award type thing on show with Little Chef's most recent branding.

Wow! Interesting find. Burger King seem to operate in mysterious ways; 2 years ago I posted about a derelict Burger King in Macclesfield but last month it reopened as a Burger King after standing empty for many years. If it wasn't viable then, why do they think it would be viable now?

I notice the site you posted about is conjoined to a Travelodge. The meltdown of Little Chef has caused a bit of a headache for Travelodge as it was originally a mutually beneficial partnership, but many Travelodges no longer have anywhere for their guests to buy breakfast or supper. They now post a warning on the webpages of the affected hotels: "Little Chef have closed their restaurant that operates on the same site as the Travelodge hotel. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

I don't know how Little Chef have lasted as long as they have done. They closed a whole bunch of them down in 2007, reopened them in 2009 (presumably hoping for a resurgence off the back of that Heston programme) then closed those and many more down up to January this year. They claim their remaining branches are profitable, but I find that hard to believe given they're always empty when I see them. It's another case of letting the brand stagnate - never a good idea.

Travelodge owned the lease on many sites, and Little Chef have publically blamed them for unreasonable rent demands. Here's Travelodge's letting instruction: http://www.christie.com/en/instructions/694 . If those were the rents Little Chef were being asked for, I'd have to agree. I can see *many* lying vacant for a very long time since they're such specific-purpose units.

[scottishtv]

What a find that document is. This is my favourite from that PDF.

The photos of many are truly bleak. I would have to also disagree with the agent's suggestion that many would make ideal surgeries (!), offices or showrooms.

[WillPS]

What a find that document is. This is my favourite from that PDF.

The photos of many are truly bleak. I would have to also disagree with the agent's suggestion that many would make ideal surgeries (!), offices or showrooms.

Yes - (aside from the handful of converted pubs) they would all make ideal roadside cafes - but little else. Certainly asking for rents of £20-40k pa seems wildly optimistic for such specific purpose units; many on roads which have seen a massive plunge in usage since they were built.

[Dr Lobster*]

I notice the site you posted about is conjoined to a Travelodge. The meltdown of Little Chef has caused a bit of a headache for Travelodge as it was originally a mutually beneficial partnership, but many Travelodges no longer have anywhere for their guests to buy breakfast or supper. They now post a warning on the webpages of the affected hotels: "Little Chef have closed their restaurant that operates on the same site as the Travelodge hotel. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."
I don't know how Little Chef have lasted as long as they have done. They closed a whole bunch of them down in 2007, reopened them in 2009 (presumably hoping for a resurgence off the back of that Heston programme) then closed those and many more down up to January this year. They claim their remaining branches are profitable, but I find that hard to believe given they're always empty when I see them. It's another case of letting the brand stagnate - never a good idea.

Travelodge owned the lease on many sites, and Little Chef have publically blamed them for unreasonable rent demands. Here's Travelodge's letting instruction: http://www.christie.com/en/instructions/694 . If those were the rents Little Chef were being asked for, I'd have to agree. I can see *many* lying vacant for a very long time since they're such specific-purpose units.

Even with high rents, it goes to show how badly those restaurants were managed if they couldn't make it work with effectively a captive audience. I think the only times I've ever eaten in a little chef has been when I was staying in a travel lodge because it was simply easier. If I remember, I think the last one I ate in was when I stayed at the travel lodge in tadcaster probably six or more years ago.

[Pete]

£25k for Dundee is nonsense. High level of passing traffic does not equal high level of passing trade.

If you are on the A90 northbound you've already passed a much nicer looking Beefeater 400 yards down the road (worth noting that the A90 as it passes through Dundee has 6 roundabouts so it is very easy to turn around).

If you are coming northbound you have passed a retail park with a Burger King, Pizza Hut and Tesco Extra, then a leisure park with a McDonalds and KFC.

Also a giant Asda including cafe is being built right next door to it.

Nonsense. I expect MJ's not to last long.

[cwathen]

I was intrigued to see the old Hayle Little Chef advertised - this one closed down at least 10 years ago. Firstly a McDonalds opened on the same site which took away some trade and then a couple of years later a Premier Inn (Travel Inn at the time) with Brewers Fayre restaurant popped up. This competition was too much for the poor old Little Chef which was one of the first to close down.

The unit was definitely boarded up and I'm sure the signage was taken down too which is nothing like the picture in the PDF - I'd say it's an old photo and not representative of the actual condition the building is in. I'd hate to think what condition it is in inside.

Travelodge opened there only relatively recently after the success of Premier Inn, long after Little Chef had closed. Infact I had no idea the Little Chef building was still standing, I always thought the site was cleared when the Travelodge was built, but that's probably because the Travelodge has completely obscured sight of the building from the roadside, so anything which opens in there wouldn't be visible from the road.

30K / year for that place? No way.

[scottishtv]

Even with high rents, it goes to show how badly those restaurants were managed if they couldn't make it work with effectively a captive audience. I think the only times I've ever eaten in a little chef has been when I was staying in a travel lodge because it was simply easier.

I don't know many of the local areas listed in the PDF, but it did make me wonder about the viability of some of those Travelodges in general. If an on-site eatery can't be sustained in some form, then it makes the place a much less attractive choice (even to budget business travellers etc). Looks like a bit of a downward spiral, and some of the identi-lodges do look in rather poor nick/dated in those pics too.

Seems Premier Inn haven't had it so good.

[WillPS]

I stayed at Travelodge "Kings Lynn Long Sutton" at the weekend. The site is one which has a Little Chef, which appeared to close last year sometime. Unlike every other example I've seen, this one hasn't been boarded up, debranded or anything! There was still banners up with offers in the current Little Chef style. The only sign from the A17 that this Little Chef is no more is the totem, which has had its Little Chef module removed (that said, another identical totem around the corner continues to bear the image of Charlie).

It looks to me as though the Area Manager just turned up, marched the staff off site and that was that.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39611466@N ... 567221090/

The Wifi was active, although I wasn't able to access the internet on it (router on, connection cut I presume).