A McDonald’s store owner who jokes about having “ketchup in his veins” has taken over a branch he opened with his dad 26 years ago.
Kevin Foley, who already owns 10 McDonald’s venues across Norfolk, said he was “absolutely delighted” to be adding the branch in the Hoveton Centre, in the high street of the twin Broads villages of Hoveton-Wroxham.
Mr Foley said: “It’s really exciting for all of us involved and a particularly proud event as my father previously owned this store and in 1995 I opened it and ran this very branch.
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“The opportunity to take this restaurant over was too good to miss so it will be great to get started.
"It’s a special time in the company’s history and we hope the Wroxham customers will be pleased to have us.”
Mr Foley’s dad Terry was the first-ever UK McDonald’s employee to be granted a franchise, and he opened his first store in central London in 1974.
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In the 1970s, Terry, worked with the McDonald’s founder, Ray Kroc, to help establish the brand in Britain.
He oversaw the opening of further restaurants in the capital and across south-east England when Kevin was a lad, so he nowadays often jokes about having grown up with “ketchup in his veins.”
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Later, Kevin became the company’s first UK-based second-generation franchisee.
In 1999 he purchased the Tuckswood branch from his father and at some point, Terry sold the Wroxham branch.
Kevin said: “It’s been a busy few weeks getting ready for the takeover, we will be keeping on any staff who wish to stay, of course, and we look forward to making them part of the K Foley team.
“I’ve already visited and met some of the staff, including the nephew of a lady who worked there with us more than 20 years ago, a lobby staff member called Maureen, which is a lovely link.
“I’m looking forward to making more links with the local community.”
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