The Loungers all-day café-bars and restaurant business has agreed to take the biggest unit in the new Ram Jam Services roadside development on the A1 in Rutland.
Godwin Developments said they had struck the deal for a restaurant which will be operated under the Loungers’ new roadside brand Brightside.
The 4,500 sq ft unit on the northbound side of the motorway will be the first purpose-built Brightside restaurant, taking trade from the tens of thousands of vehicles passing the site each day as well as local residents.
Loungers has more than 200 UK locations under the Lounge and Cosy Club brands, and Brightside will be its new take on roadside food.
The Ram Jam Services sits between Peterborough and Grantham, next to an established petrol station and a new bakery. It is 15 minutes away from Rutland Water – one of the largest man-made lakes in Europe – in a rural area which attracts almost 1.9 million visitors every year.
A total of four units have been developed by Godwin at the services, of which three are currently under offer.
Claudine Tracey, associate director of commercial development at Godwin Developments, said: “We are delighted to have secured Loungers’ new Brightside brand for our Ram Jam Services development.
“The site has historically been a thriving roadside destination and we are really pleased to be breathing new life into it, bringing amenities and consumer choice, attracting passing motorists as well as those who are travelling to and live in the local area.
“We remain very active in the roadside retail market, which is buoyant and growing rapidly.
“We have already built strong partnerships with all major market players in this space and we will continue to support them in expanding their networks and bringing brands closer to their customers.”
Loungers founder and chairman Alex Reilley said: “We believe that Brightside will really shake up what has become an uninspiring sector and that there is potential to roll out Brightside across the UK in the coming years.
“Our expertise in high-quality, great value all-day dining, developed through Lounge and Cosy Club, gives us confidence that Brightside can bring proper hospitality back to roadside dining across the UK.”
