The Huntingdon branch (sometimes known as the Fenstanton branch) was a former Little Chef restaurant located on the eastbound side of the A14 in the village of Fenstanton near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
Address and Onsite Information[]
ADDRESS: A14 Eastbound, Fenstanton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 9LP
ONSITE FACILITIES: Shell, Deli2Go (forecourt), Costa Express (forecourt), Travelodge (Book Room)
For more information, see Motorway Services Online.
History[]
The Little Chef at Huntingdon first opened its doors in 1989 on what used to be the A604, a busy route which served traffic travelling between the Midlands and the ferry ports of Felixstowe and Harwich to the east. It was one of four Little Chefs to have opened on the Huntingdon to Cambridge section of the A604 and was built alongside a filling station and Travelodge hotel, the typical combination for most Little Chef sites.
In the 1990s, the A604 was re-numbered the A14 following the opening of the A14-M1-A1 link to the west.
In the mid 1990s, Forte decided to rebrand a number of Little Chefs. In a bid to try and attract more evening diners, especially from the lodges, and a young professional clientelle, certain restaurants were given an internal makeover with new carpets, tables, chairs, softer lighting, blinds and higher quality partitions and kitchen areas. These branches also received air conditioning. As part of this, Huntingdon was given blue branding. However, when Granada took over, the majority of restaurants were reverted back to the traditional red branding. Huntingdon therefore returned to its standard red logos but kept the new furnishings.
Unfortunately, on 31 July 1996, a fire broke out in the Little Chef. This resulted in severe damage and the building had to be rebuilt. A picture of the aftermath of the fire is available on Motorway Services Online.
Also in the mid 1990s, when Granada took over the baton from Forte, a Burger King was added to the site, providing a second restaurant option for travellers.
In 2006, Huntingdon received a Coffee Tempo! outlet. This was later converted into a Little Chef Express in 2012.
Following the takeover by Euro Garages in 2017, Huntingdon was one of a number sites converted to an EG Diner in January 2018. This is due to the expiration of Euro Garages' right to use the Little Chef brand name. However, at the end of Summer 2018, the EG Diner ceased trading and was later replaced with Greggs and Subway, alongside a newer, fresher Burger King. In 2019, the new A14 opened, with Fenstanton now on the A1307, where not much traffic passed by. However, in early 2020, following poor trade as a result of the road upgrade, the Greggs and Subway later ceased trading, leaving the Burger King to soldier on alone, although it is unknown how long it will carry on trading for. The Burger King closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19, and never reopened. Euro Garages announced a year later that they decided to make the closure permanent, leaving the building empty.
The building is still empty as of 2022.
