The New Fox North branch was a former Little Chef restaurant located on the northbound side of the A1 near South Witham, Lincolnshire.
Address and Onsite Information []
ADDRESS: A1 Northbound, South Witham, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG33 5LN
ONSITE FACILITIES: Starbucks, Travelodge (Book Room), Trophy Cars
For more information, visit Motorway Services Online
History[]
The Little Chef at New Fox North first opened in May 1984 and was built alongside a filling station on the northbound side of the A1. The branch got its name from a long-established pub located directly opposite on the southbound side of the carriageway, known as the 'New Fox Inn' (now called the Fox Inn).
Whilst the restaurant was housed in a fairly standard building, it stood out by featuring a conservatory on its eastern facade. This offered diners panoramic views of the surrounding Lincolnshire countryside.
Shortly after the opening of the Little Chef, a Little Chef Lodge hotel opened on site. The Little Chef Lodge received significant media attention following a 12-hour siege on 9 September 1989. Guests had been safely evacuated from their rooms, while the assailant was later found dead. In the same year, the Little Chef Lodge was re-branded as a Travelodge.
At some point in the 1980s, all Little Chefs around Britain were given female names by the owner. The New Fox North branch was named "Mabel".
In 1989, a Little Chef had opened directly opposite on the southbound side, operating in tandem with the New Fox North branch; though it later closed in 2002.
Following the takeover of the Little Chef brand by Euro Garages in 2017, the Little Chef at New Fox North ceased trading in July of the same year and was converted into a Starbucks shortly afterwards. The filling station, which closed by the mid 2000s, now trades as a vehicle dealer.
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