Global restaurant chain to close Limerick city restaurant

FAST-FOOD giant McDonald's is set to close its restaurant in the city centre, Limerick Live can reveal.

The American chain, which operates a premises at the junction of Cruises Street and O'Connell Street will cease trading at the end of this month.

It brings the curtain down on 30 years of trading from the landmark site.

A spokesperson for the firm said: "This decision was not taken lightly and all of our restaurant team will be offered a transfer to one of our neighbouring restaurants in Limerick City, County Clare or further afield if they would like to avail of that."

However, the spokesperson insisted that the McDonald's staff are "actively exploring new locations across the city".

It comes with the Golden-Arches company upgrading its estate of stores, which is planned to improve its restaurant estate.

It says the premises at Cruises Street is "not compatible" with this, a move which is leading to its closure.

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The announcement by McDonald's represents further disappointing news for Cruises Street, which has lost a number of big name shops and businesses in recent years.

McDonald's opened its city centre restaurant in 1993. At the time, it was the second McDonald's outlet in Limerick, accompanying the premises at Crescent Shopping Centre in Dooradoyle.

Since then, the American fast-food chain has opened outlets at Jetland Shopping Centre in Caherdavin and at Castletroy Town Centre.