THE fast food chain McDonald's has opened its twelfth Northern Ireland restaurant, creating around 70 new jobs. The restaurant, which is located in the Arches Retail Park in Connswater, is a £1 million sterling joint venture deal between McDonald's and Belfast man Mr David Mark.

The latest outlet brings to £8 million the amount invested by the American food chain in Northern Ireland. Over 1,000 full-time and part-time jobs have been created. Its Northern Ireland suppliers include Dale Farm Dairies, the Golden Vale subsidiary Dairy Produce Packers (DPP), Lurgan Fibre, Avondale Foods, and Coca-Cola Bottlers.