The Markham Moor North branch was a former Little Chef restaurant located at the Markham Moor Interchange on the A1/A57 near Retford, Nottinghamshire.
Address and Onsite Information[]
ADDRESS: Markham Moor Interchange, Markham Moor, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 0QU
ONSITE FACILITIES: Shell, Little Waitrose and Partners (forecourt), Deli by Shell (forecourt), Costa Express (forecourt), KFC Drive Thru, Travelodge (Book Room)
LITTLE CHEF NOW: KFC
For more information, visit Motorway Services Online
History[]
The Little Chef at Markham Moor North first opened in October 1988, on what used to be the Markham Moor Roundabout. The restaurant traded alongside a filling station and Travelodge hotel and was housed in a building with the pitched roof, double front design.
The Little Chef at Markham Moor, which operated on the south-western quadrant of the roundabout, was not the only restaurant to have traded at the interchange. Located on the north-eastern quadrant was another service service station comprising a filling station and McDonald's, the latter of which opened in 1991. In addition, the north-western quadrant played host to a filling station and Kelly's Kitchen restaurant operated by Fina, with the restaurant opening in 1987. Located to the north of the roundabout was also a Happy Eater restaurant which opened in 1982, although this was only accessible to traffic travelling south on the A1. Finally and operating alongside the Little Chef on its quadrant of the roundabout was the Markham Moor Truckstop.
Following their acquisition of Happy Eater in 1986 and Kelly's Kitchen and 1990, Forte eventually gained control over the aforementioned restaurants at the Markham Moor Roundabout. In 1990, the Kelly's Kitchen became the Retford branch of Little Chef, although this closed by 1995 in anticipation of the Happy Eater being converted into a Little Chef a year later in 1996. The Happy Eater became the Markham Moor South branch and operated in tandem with the Little Chef at Markham Moor, which was later renamed to 'Markham Moor North'.
In 1995, Forte recognised the rise of the grab and go and fast food options and launched a complimentary brand called "Little Chef Express". Markham Moor North was the first branch to trial this service with a small extension added to the restaurant so that both brands could be offered under one roof. The idea continued until Granada took over Forte and changed the format to Burger King, although Little Chef Express would later appear at a number of roadside sites and even at selected airports and bus stations.
In 2006, Markham Moor North was one of a number of Little Chef sites to have been joined by a Coffee Tempo!, replacing the Burger King. However, this was short lived and was removed by 2009.
In 2008, the Markham Moor Roundabout was upgraded to a grade-separated junction. This was carried out as part of a wider scheme to upgrade a number of roundabout interchanges on the A1 between Peterborough and Blyth. The Little Chef at Markham Moor North would now be accessible via the northbound entry slip road onto the A1, although traffic would still be able to access the wider interchange upon exiting the site.
In 2011, the Little Chef received the 'Wonderfully British' refurbishment along with nine other sites. Wonderfully British was the follow-on, slightly tweaked version of the "Hestonised" site, with slightly different interior finishes, new branding (Charlie lost his tray and instead had his arms open to welcome visitors) and Little Chef's new "grab and go" take-away option branded as Good to Go.
In February 2012, the Little Chef at Markham Moor South ceased trading, leaving Markham Moor North as the last surviving Little Chef at the interchange.
In September 2014, Markham Moor North was one of a handful of Little Chef sites to have received a Subway. The Subway opened in the former Little Chef Express/Burger King extension.
In 2017, the Little Chef at Markham Moor North featured in an episode of 'A1: Britain's Longest Road', with staff being interviewed about their daily jobs as well as the camera crews showing the day-to-day goings on within the restaurant. The services were also featured later on in the episode when a old English sheepdog show team travelling from Hull to Ely stopped off on route to a competition to meet fellow competitors and have lunch in the Little Chef.
Following the takeover of the Little Chef brand by Euro Garages in 2017, the Little Chef at Markham Moor North ceased trading in January 2018, making it one of the last sites to have closed across the entire estate. Following a brief stint as an EG Diner, the building was refurbished in October 2018 to become a KFC, which opened in January 2019.
In 2022, and owing to recruitment issues and low trade, the adjoining Subway permanently closed and has remained empty ever since.
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