A NEW McDonald's drive-through restaurant will open in Rising Bridge in October, creating up to 60 jobs.

The £820,000 investment will see the conversion of Mister Taylor's fish and chip restaurant, formerly Don Gennaros, into a restaurant and drive-through just off the roundabout linking the Haslingden and Accrington by-passes.

North West chief Keith Mason said: "It is our intention to convert the building, which is unusual for McDonald's because normally we would pull it down and rebuild.

"There will be between 50 and 60 full and part-time jobs created and the restaurant will be open from breakfast to supper. "It is our intention to become more convenient for the public.

"The Haslingden outlet will serve people using the by-passes and residents of Accrington and Haslingden, but we are still planning to open a drive-through and restaurant in Newhallhey in Rawtenstall."

Mr Mason said the company was still considering various sites within Burnley and Colne and was hoping to bring to fruition plans for a town centre drive-through in Accrington and a similar facility at Whitebirk in Blackburn.

The giant fast-food retailer has targeted East Lancashire as a priority area for expansion and may be happy to pay out introductory cash fees to anyone who can put them in touch with suitable quarter-acre sites in the district.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.