Euro Garages has taken on the leases of five former Little Chefs for conversion to coffee shops under a licensing arrangement with Starbucks.

The lettings were brokered by Christie & Co.

The sites Hailsham in East Sussex, Wirral, Wansford in Cheshire, Wrexham and Worksop form part of a move by Euro Garages to convert up to 30 former Little Chefs to trade as Starbucks. Several of these pending sites are from Christie & Co’s instruction to market 40-plus Little Chef sites last year.

In addition to the Euro Garages deal, Christie & Co has let five further former Little Chef sites one in Liphook, Hampshire to 23.5 Degrees for another Starbucks franchisee, and the others to independent operators for continued use as roadside restaurants or cafes. These sites are in: Oldbury, West Midlands; Dundee; Cambridge; and Five Oaks, West Sussex.

Simon Chaplin, director and head of restaurants for Christie & Co, says: "EuroGarages’ letting of these, and probably further, former Little Chef sites for licensing as Starbucks, indicates just how popular these sites have been. It is interesting to note that roadside sites are apparently integral to Starbucks’ strategy to extend its presence on the roadside. It is also an indication of just how well situated the sites were that we have received such tremendous interest in them."