Forty new jobs have been created in York as fast food chain McDonalds re-opens its Clifton Moor restaurant.

The restaurant, which has undergone a redesign, is now under the ownership of new franchisee John Atherton, alongside the Monks Cross, Blake Street, and Designer Outlet McDonalds.

Mr Atherton and his wife Ann held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the reopening of Clifton Moor, which is one of only a handful of restaurants in the UK to feature McDonald’s new wood and stone design.

Dining tables in the restaurant now include built in Samsung tablets, while the restaurant itself includes leather Chesterfield sofas, designer lighting and free Wi-Fi.

Mr Atherton said: “As a local businessman, I understand the importance of investing in the community, so it’s great to be able to play a part in the re-generation of the area and bring an extra boost to the local economy.

“It’s not just about providing a fresh, new environment though; I also believe in investing in my people and am delighted to be able to create around 40 new jobs as a result of the re-design.

"With excellent training programmes and career opportunities, including the apprenticeship scheme, on offer to all of McDonald’s employees, I hope the roles will appeal to a broad spectrum of people across York.”

The refurbishment has also included a new concept drive-thru aimed at giving customers a quicker and smoother experience when ordering, along with enabling them to place bespoke orders.

New and existing McDonald’s employees will benefit from improved kitchen facilities and a new ‘crew room’ with comfortable seating, a television and a computer.

Crew can use the area to study for nationally recognised qualifications in Maths or English - one of a number of varied training opportunities captured in the McDonald’s prospectus which are offered to employees to help develop transferable skills and qualifications.