in 1995, it was bought by granada, when the forte group (formerly trusthouse forte) underwent a very unharmonious hostile takeover. in 2001, when granada de-merged (creating moto), it became owned by compass group. in 2003, it was acquired by permira under the name of tllc group holdings ltd (113 little chefs, owned by tllc, were nextdoor to travelodges), moving its headquarters from toddington in bedfordshire to thame in oxfordshire in june 2003.