Not the usual place I would frequent. But I was driving home from Scotland and needed petrol, so stopped at this garage on the A1. Around the back is a derelict cafe and it had a door open. So I thought I would have a stretch and I was bursting for a pee. The place has been fairly ripped apart and is now a soggy decaying mess. Funnily enough it did not have a single bit of graffiti in it though. It was a former little chef and the colours showed that. In a building out back was lots of the old signs stacked up.
In 1961 when the A1 (M) first opened, Forte decided to open some services at Barnsdale. They used there own Autogrill brand. The restaurant was only on the south side of the A1 and had a large restaurant and shop, a bridge connected to the north bound side, a little chef was built on the north bound several years later. Forte then rebranded all of their properties Trusthouse Forte the Motorchef. They then become Welcome Break in the 80s with restaurants called the Granary, this was then replaced with the Little Chef. There was a hotel at the rear of the site and was one of Travelodges early ones bring built in the 80s. It was demolished when it became dated in the 90s and rebuilt. In 2005 Little Chef and Travelodge which was one company was sold to Permica who rebranded the one here as a Days Inn hotel. The little chefs were shut down in 2012 and this one became DD's diner and the hotel was taken over by Metro Inns. The hotel closed down before the diner which finally shut down in 2019. The northbound Little Chef is now an adult superstore. There are plans to demolish the Little Chef southbound and build a McDonald's and revamp the area near the hotel.
I did not bother with the hotel. I could tell from a distance it was trashed badly.
Starting in the main cafe area.
An old pin map on the floor.
Heading to the side is a large area for lorry drivers. With lots of toilets and showers.
Heading to what would have been the toilets for public and shop. There was extensive kitchens but they were empty and pitch black.
It is as so soggy they even had shrooms growing in the carpet
Reminders of its little chef days.
In 1961 when the A1 (M) first opened, Forte decided to open some services at Barnsdale. They used there own Autogrill brand. The restaurant was only on the south side of the A1 and had a large restaurant and shop, a bridge connected to the north bound side, a little chef was built on the north bound several years later. Forte then rebranded all of their properties Trusthouse Forte the Motorchef. They then become Welcome Break in the 80s with restaurants called the Granary, this was then replaced with the Little Chef. There was a hotel at the rear of the site and was one of Travelodges early ones bring built in the 80s. It was demolished when it became dated in the 90s and rebuilt. In 2005 Little Chef and Travelodge which was one company was sold to Permica who rebranded the one here as a Days Inn hotel. The little chefs were shut down in 2012 and this one became DD's diner and the hotel was taken over by Metro Inns. The hotel closed down before the diner which finally shut down in 2019. The northbound Little Chef is now an adult superstore. There are plans to demolish the Little Chef southbound and build a McDonald's and revamp the area near the hotel.
I did not bother with the hotel. I could tell from a distance it was trashed badly.
Starting in the main cafe area.
An old pin map on the floor.
Heading to the side is a large area for lorry drivers. With lots of toilets and showers.
Heading to what would have been the toilets for public and shop. There was extensive kitchens but they were empty and pitch black.
It is as so soggy they even had shrooms growing in the carpet
Reminders of its little chef days.
