Drive-thru in Newport to create 40 new jobs
Adrive-thru Burger King restaurant will open next month in Newport in an investment creating 40 new jobs.
The restaurant, run as the latest Burger King franchise operation from Swansea-based Unionburger, will be based at Newport Leisure Park.
Commercial property agent Cooke & Arkwright acted for the company in acquiring its latest site.
The Burger King is scheduled to open on July 30.
The Newport investment will bring its number of franchises to 10.
Further Burger King drive-thrus are also scheduled for the Trostre area of Llanelli and in Barry.
The site is owned by Otium Real Estate, a leisure-focused property investment company that owns and manages assets across the UK, in cities such as Wakefield, Newport, Milton Keynes and the Isle of Wight.
Since purchasing the 11-acre site in July 2015, Otium has overseen a major transformation of the park, securing new tenants including Energi, Xercise4Less, Home Bargains and Tiffins.
Huw Thomas, director at Cooke & Arkwright, who acquired the site on behalf of Unionburger, said: “The new venture will be the second Burger King in Newport and Unionburger’s ninth in Wales, further driving Unionburger’s expansion in the region.
“We’re pleased to have been able to secure the site for Unionburger to grow its business and enable Burger King to expand its Welsh portfolio through an indigenous Welsh franchisee. We are keen to acquire other new sites along the M4 corridor in south Wales and the border areas.”
Unionburger is run by brother and sister Kim Jenkins and Chris Baker. Operating since 1983, its last acquisition was on Commercial Street in Newport, which it acquired in September 2015.
Mr Baker said: “We are excited to be opening our second restaurant in Newport. We anticipate that the opening will create in excess of 40 new jobs.
“This unit will be our first drivethru built to the new Burger King specification. The shell design has a more modern feel than that of our existing stores, both internally and externally.
“The city of Newport is developing at a rapid pace, with growth in both retail and residential sectors. The sheer number of new homes being built in the surrounding area give us every confidence that this new restaurant will be a worthy addition to our portfolio.”
Ashley Blake, chief executive of Otium Real Estate, said: “We are delighted to welcome Unionburger to Newport Leisure Park ahead of its fit-out. The new Burger King drivethru will complement our existing tenant line-up and enhance the park’s offer to customers.”