HEALTHY FOOD CHAIN LEON TAKES ON GREASY SPOONS

HEALTHY fast food chain Leon has already taken on sandwich shops - now it’s ready to battle with motorway greasy spoon cafes.

Leon will open two roadside branches in August at service stations near Cannock on the M6 toll road and near Worcester on the M5.

The franchise deal is in association with motorway service operator Roadchef, which has 30 service areas across the UK.

More Leon sites are planned to open over the next five years. The deal will see nearly 60 jobs created at both service stations.

Leon, which was founded in London by presenter David Dimbleby’s son Henry and John Vincent in 2004, has 46 outlets in the UK and two in the Netherlands and plans to open its first stores in the US later this year.

The managing director of Leon, John Upton, said: ‘We have always said that we want Leon to be where it was most needed – either on the high street or easy to find when you’re out and about.’

Leon was set up by Henry Dimbleby, 47, the son of broadcaster David Dimbleby and friends John Vincent, 45, and chef Allegra McEvedy, 46

It's named after Vincent’s dad Leon. Popular dishes include Moroccan meatball hot box and smoothies

The first Leon opened in 2004 on Carnaby Street. It now has over 45 stores

In 2013 Dimbleby and Vincent produced the School Food Plan – which led to the introduction of cookery lessons for the under 14s