The Astwick branch was a former Little Chef located on the northbound side of the A1, just north of Baldock.
Address and Onsite Information[]
ADDRESS: A1 Northbound, Astwick, Bedfordshire, SG5 4BL
ONSITE FACILITIES: BP, Londis (forecourt), Subway (forecourt), Chicago Town Pizza (forecourt), Costa Express (forecourt), iSqueeze Fresh OJ (forecourt), Rollover (forecourt), Costa Drive Thru
For more information, visit Motorway Services Online
History[]
The Little Chef at Astwick opened in 1980 and was built in Little Chef's house style of the era with the flat roof and large windows facing the road. It was built alongside a BP filling station on the site of a former pub according to Motorway Services Online.
In the 1980s, a Happy Eater restaurant had opened directly opposite on the southbound side of the A1. This became a Little Chef by 1996 and was known as the Baldock branch.
The Astwick site is most well-known for its featuring in photographer Paul Graham's 1981 body of work A1: The Great North Road.
In 2004, the Little Chef at Astwick had ceased trading, following the cull of 131 Little Chef restaurants by then owners, Permira, nationwide. The site lay empty for many years and, if internet reports are anything to go by, it was left almost full furnished but unlocked. However, by autumn 2009, it had been demolished to make way for upgrades and expansion at the BP filling station.