The Four Marks branch was a former Little Chef restaurant located on the A31 near Four Marks, Hampshire.
Address and Onsite Information[]
ADDRESS: A31 Winchester Road, Four Marks, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 5HZ
ONSITE FACILITIES: Travelodge (Book Room)
History[]
The Little Chef first opened its doors between 1980 and 1982 as a small standalone site right next to the village of Four Marks. It was the second Little Chef restaurant to have opened on the Guildford to Winchester section of the A31 after the opening of the Hogs Back branch in the 1960s. Although it was built as a standalone restaurant with no accompanying filling station, its location was one which was well chosen by then owners, Forte, as not only did it have the ability to serve both sides of the A31, due to it being located on a single carriageway section of road, but it also had the ability to serve locals in the village of Four Marks as well, therefore it was able to serve both travellers and locals at the same time, meaning it was a site well chosen.
Around 1986, the Little Chef was joined by a Little Chef Lodge hotel, giving the restaurant the chance to attract even more custom, especially when it came to the breakfast rush in the morning and the dinner rush in the evening. By 1989, the hotel was rebranded as Travelodge.
Despite the Little Chef doing a decent trade, it closed its doors by 2005 when then owners, Permira, had decided to slim down the Little Chef portfolio by closing 131 restaurants up and down the country, including Four Marks. The Little Chef was demolished soon after its demise and a Travelodge extension was built in order to provide more hotel rooms for travellers.
Although the restaurant no longer exists, the site is still home to a couple of Little Chef remains, such as the car park notice signs and the minimilk trading lampposts by the entrance to the site.
Little Chef Remains[]
- A minimilk trading lamppost on the entrance to the car park.