The Abington South branch was a former Little Chef located on the southbound side of the A74 (now A74(M)) near Abington, South Lanarkshire.
Address and Onsite Information[]
ADDRESS: A74 Southbound, Abington, South Lanarkshire, ML12 6SF
ONSITE FACILITIES: None
LITTLE CHEF NOW: Demolished
History[]
The Little Chef at Abington South first opened in 1980 and was built alongside a filling station on what used to be the main A74 route between Carlisle and Glasgow. The restaurant traded in tandem with the existing Abington North Little Chef, located almost directly opposite on the northbound of the A74. The opening of the restaurant at Abington South created the first dual-sided Little Chef site in Scotland.
In the late 1980s, plans were announced to upgrade the A74 between Abington and Gretna to a motorway. Consequently, this would result in the demise of Abington Services. The Little Chef at Abington South, alongside its northbound partner, closed in 1992, with the new motorway opening a year later in 1993. However, and following planning permission being granted for the construction of a new motorway service station located a short distance away at the new Junction 13, Little Chef would relocate to the new services and thus retain their presence in the area.
Following its closure, the Little Chef building and petrol station were demolished. However, the ground still remains undeveloped and the original car park still remains to this day, albeit now overgrown.