A NATURAL fast food chain is to open its first Hampshire restaurant - at one of the county's service stations.

LEON has announced it will create a new roadside restaurant at Rownhams Services.

The restaurant will be on the southbound service station, located between junctions 3 and 4.

The chain, which focuses on natural fast food, says the new site will create up to 30 new jobs.

Adam Blaker, Development and Property Director at LEON, said: “It has always been our ambition to bring LEON to people where they need it most.

"We’re so pleased to find in Roadchef a partner with such high operating standards, respect for our brand, and a truly positive culture.

"We couldn’t be more excited to open in Rownhams."

Some of the menu items on offer at the new restaurant include the chain's popular dishes such as 'GFC', their gluten-free chicken nuggets, alongside the 100 per cent plant-based 'LOVe Burger', and classics like the 'Original Super Salad'.

The range will be updated seasonally, say LEON bosses.

Mark Fox, CEO at Roadchef, which operates the service station, said: “We’re thrilled to announce the opening of LEON at our Rownhams site and are delighted to be able to offer our customers a different type of fast food.

"We’re always looking to ensure that Roadchef offers something for everyone, tapping into key trends such as the demand for natural, healthy food and LEON is a perfect fit for the business.

“Our partnership with LEON has been phenomenally successful and as such we are planning a pipeline of developments in the coming years, as we look to bring LEON’s brand of healthy fast food to even more parts of the motorway network – watch this space."

The announcement comes following previous successes of the Roadchef LEON partnership over the past year.

The operators have now entered into a new five-year agreement, making Roadchef the principal MSA operator to be able to grow the brand.

Leon was founded by John Vincent and Henry Dimbleby with chef Allegra McEvedy.

The business was named after Vincent's father, Leon and opened its first outlet in Carnaby Street in 2004.

As of September 2018, Leon had 57 restaurants - the majority of which are in London.

The nearest restaurants outside of London are currently in Oxford or Brighton.