A first look inside Brightside Roadside Dining, owned by Loungers, at Ram Jam services in Stretton, Rutland
From 1980s caravan-inspired booths to avocado-coloured toilet suites, a new restaurant aims to offer a different roadside dining experience.
Brightside Roadside Dining opened at the Ram Jam services off the A1 near Stretton this morning (November 22).
Bosses at the restaurant, part of the Loungers brand, hope its quirky decor and relaxed atmosphere will make it the go-to place for a pitstop.
Sat in one of the 1980s caravan-inspired booths, marketing manager Jason Ewing described decorations as ‘a mismatch which somehow works’.
He said: “It’s quite distinctly Brightside.
“People see different things in it - some people see the 1950s while others say it’s like a 1970s diner. They can take what they see from it.”
The new restaurant has a dining area furnished with creamy Formica-topped tables, with mid-century inspired dining chairs, and booths upholstered with orange and brown striped train seat fabric.
The walls are wood-panelled and a dusty pink high ceiling has a range of pendant ceiling lights hanging from it.
Giving a nod to retro TV shows, caravan awnings hang over the windows and crazy paving flooring leads to the restaurant.
A pink hallway leads to the bright bathrooms which have avocado-coloured toilet suites and Brightside-yellow tiles.
Evoking nostalgia is the mission of Alex Reilley, chairperson and co-founder of Loungers, which also operates the Cosy Club, who was inspired by affectionate memories of visiting the likes of Little Chef and Happy Eater as a child.
Jason said: “He wanted to create somewhere you can spend quality time with the family at the side of the road, rather than a service station where hospitality is secondary.
“At a burger joint it is automated. You press buttons, pick up your food and eat in the car. It’s a rush and there is no service or hospitality.
“In this day and age we have all moved towards the grab and go but Brightside wants to change that.”
He added: “It’s about slowing people down a bit.
“It’s what we all talk about wanting to do.
“We are doing things a bit differently - people may just need a little bit of convincing."
Brightside has taken the biggest unit at the services - the others are occupied by Wendy’s and Costa - offering 200 covers, 160 inside and the remaining 40 al fresco.
Jason says the business will continue its expansion and follow in the footsteps of the Little Chef - although at a slower rate.
The Stretton branch is the fourth Brightside restaurant in the country, with the others located in Devon and Cornwall.
Discussing why Rutland was chosen for the first restaurant beyond the south-west of England, Jason said: “It was simply that the site became available after it had been mothballed for some years.
“The old Ram Jam Inn closed in 2017 but everyone knew of its success when it was here.”
The menu is described as offering elevated comfort food with a twist and includes breakfasts with Jolly Hog’s Proper Porker sausage, Marco Pierre White hash browns and a buttery pile of sourdough toast, burgers, fish and chips, sourdough pizzas and an upgraded ham, egg and chips.
Also on offer are a number of sweet treats including ice cream Sundays and brownies.
Will you be visiting? Let us know in the comments.
