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Newby was a former Little Chef on the A65 near Clapham, Lancashire. 

Address and Onsite Information[]

ADDRESS: Henbusk Lane, Newby, Lancaster, LA2 8HS

ONSITE FACILITIES: Goat Gap Café

History[]

Originally opened between 1972 and 1976 in a converted and extended house, it served one of the main routes between North Yorkshire and the M6, located at the foot of the Yorkshire Dales (photo of the original building on Motorway Services Online).

However, it had to be rebuilt in the 1980s after a really bad storm damaged the restaurant beyond repair. The rebuilt restaurant looks to have been built in local stone and is similar in style to Skipton just down the road at the A59/ A65 junction. 

Unlike some branches, Newby was deemed to offer sufficient facilities to be classed as services and so was afforded some advanced signage in both directions on the A65.

Sadly, in January 2012, then owners R Capital announced a cull of 67 branches which were deemed to be underperforming and Newby was one of them. The restaurant closed with immediate effect.

However, in the background, the former restaurant manager was hatching a plan to re-open the restaurant as an independent, an ambition that was realised in late 2012 with the opening of Diner65. Sadly, the venture was shortlived and now the restaurant was once again vacant. However, the restaurant reopened as Goat Gap Café which is still trading today.

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