A RUN-DOWN roadside restaurant on the edge of the A69 has been transformed into Tynedale’s second Starbucks coffee outlet.
The former Little Chef at Bardon Mill closed suddenly in the summer with plans announced by Blackburn-based filling station operator, Euro Garages, to plough ahead with a six-figure investment.
And now, after a reported £500,000 refurbishment, the outlet is up and running with all existing jobs transferred and six additional posts created.
Signs warning motorists that the site was out of action were placed in the windows in August, before contractors moved in and a skip appeared outside. It comes almost a year after Euro Garages, which also has partnerships with Greggs, Subway and Burger King, included the big name coffee outlet within Hexham’s 24-hour service station at Bridge End.
But the rebranding signals the end of an era for Little Chef, which has served customers on the busy route between Newcastle and Carlisle for more than 30 years.
The Bardon Mill site was one of just over 50 Little Chef outlets remaining in the UK.
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