LITTLE Chef is facing a takeover within days – amid fears the deal could see it completely disappear from our roads.
EURO GARAGES is in “advanced talks” to buy the brand and its restaurants from Kuwaiti firm KOUT FOOD GROUP, which took it over for £15million in 2013.
Just 70 Little Chefs remain, compared to its peak of nearly 450 in 2000.
If the deal goes through management is expected to assess each site on “a case-by-case basis”.
But Euro Garages already has partnerships with brands such as STARBUCKS, SUBWAY, GREGGS and BURGER KING.
There are, therefore, fears some, if not all, of the Little Chef restaurants could be rebranded.
A source said: “The Little Chef employees have been informed.
“All the assets from Little Chef will be transferred to Euro Garages and all their terms and conditions will remain the same — meaning they will still be employed in their current roles.
“Staff are worried that Euro Garages don’t operate their own brands — they only operate partner brands.
“They fear this could mean the end for what is an iconic brand.
“It’s very British.
“People will be gutted if we lose Little Chef.
“It would be devastating — like losing Woolworths.
“When it’s gone, it’s gone.”
Euro Garages is run by a British Muslim family and hit the headlines last year when it stopped selling alcohol in its petrol stations.
Little Chef currently sells beer and wine in its restaurants.
The chain and a spokesman for Euro Garages both declined to comment.
1958: The first 11-seater Little Chef, inspired by classic American diners, opens in Reading on October 13.
1976: The chain rapidly expands and now has 174 restaurants from Plymouth to Aberdeen. First Little Chef lodge for overnight stays open.
1994: Little Chef now owned by the FORTE GROUP has 350 sites, and moves into Spanish market through deal with oil giant REPSOL. The same year its iconic Olympic Breakfast is launched.
2000: The chain reaches its peak with 439 sites. It is now owned by GRANADA, after a hostile takeover of Forte in mid-1990s.
Since then: Brand changes hands several times in the noughties, its numbers steadily declining. Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal revamps its menu in 2008, but the lift is short-lived. By 2012 it has just 119 restaurants.
Source: Read Full Article
