Sandwich business makes sub-stantial investment in Chester

Jul 7 2011 by Gil Lightfoot, Chester Chronicle

BUSINESSMAN Craig Munro is expanding his enterprise with a new sandwich bar, his fourth in Chester, creating 10 new jobs.

The Subway outlet is due to open opposite Staples in Sealand Road tomorrow, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Mr Munro said: “This is the culmination of 18 months of work, from the point we spotted this unit and started negotiating the lease. It is in an ideal position, especially with parking out front, so we’re looking forward to opening the doors. Getting the unit ready has been a lot of work but I’m confident it will be worth it.”

The restaurant represents a £120,000 investment by the South-African-born businessman who started his company, Simply Subs Ltd – which now owns and runs four Subway franchises – 10 years ago.

He said: “It has been a great challenge building the business over the past decade and it has been really tough over the last few years, with sales impacted by the recession. I’ve learnt a lot of lessons along the way and we are now growing steadily. I owe it all to having great staff who have a great team spirit and to many long-serving employees such as area manager, Kimberly Williams, who has worked for our company since we opened our first store.”

Mr Munro left his native South Africa in 2000 with wife Anne, who is also his co-director in Simply Subs Ltd, and his three sons Robert, now 20, Ryan, 18, and Callym, 15.

After emigrating, he worked as the operations manager at a company in Stoke, which produced children’s novelty sweet and toy bags, but left to fulfil a desire to own his own business.