From RTÉ News.
Sandwich chain Subway is planning a major expansion of its business in Ireland and plans to create more than 1,800 jobs over the next six years with the opening of new outlets.
Subway plans to open 40 new shops in Ireland over the next year alone in an investment worth almost €5m. This will create up to 400 new jobs.
The company aims to add more than 180 stores around the country by 2020. It opened 16 new stores in Ireland last year which brings its total here to 117.Link
While any genuine new job creation is welcome, I feel that such franchise chains will ultimately squeeze out local family run cafes and small restaurants.
Our main streets are becoming more and more like the high streets in the UK with little to distinguish them from one town from the next.
Its got nothing to do with the fact that I hate
Subway's food.
But I'd rather eat in my own locally run Deli Café with its freshly prepared food than some homogeneous branch of a large multinational where hot food is the result of a staff member putting the fillings of a sandwich into a microwave and pushing a button.