The end of Little Chef
Robert Moore • Published 20 Jan 2012 10:00
THE Little Chef in Milton looks to have served its last Olympic Breakfast.
The diner has been a familier site on the A82 for many years.
On Wednesday, the roadside diner chain announced plans to cut 67 of their 161 UK stores and said that 600 workers would lose their jobs.
And despite refusing be drawn on which stores would be affected it seemed increasingly likely the Milton restaurant - located just iff the A82 - would be axed,
The store has now boarded up its windows and had its trademark signs removed.
In recent years the company has seen its profits slump and has been met with stiff competition in the Dumbarton area with the introduction of the Stonefield Carvery and the Malt & Myre at Lomondgate.
But the potential loss of the diner has been described as a huge blow for the area, which already has one of the highest unemployment rates in Scotland.
Dumbarton councillor George Black said: "It's to be lamented, it's not welcome news.
"Given the fact the tourist office has been under threat as well it's not much of a welcome to West Dunbartonshire.
"We are going to have boarded up facilities when you get here as well as boarded up shops on the High Street.
"It does cater for the north-bound side of the A82, when you consider that if it's closed effectively there's nothing.
"Being local I know it's not particularly well supported, the days of you not being able to get parked in the car park are long gone. In days gone by it was populated by businessman. At the same time it was popular it as it didn't matter which Little Chef you went into you knew what you were getting and it was a fairly high standard.
"I think it's maybe indicative of the times that the big boys are feeling the pinch where as the small businesses are more hands on and coping.
"A lot of these guys are weathering the storm but it would appear the big boys are folding their tents up and moving on to pastures new."
On Thursday a Little Chef spokeswoman refused to comment on whether the Milton restaurant would be permanently closed and whether there would be job losses.
This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 17 Jan 12
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