It's been a long time coming, but the third McDonald's restaurant in Bathurst is finally open.
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Slated to originally open in August last year, the new site at West Bathurst - which is in a hub with a number of fast food outlets and a service station - had been plagued by delays, but on the morning of Monday, March 18, the doors were finally open.
McDonald's West Bathurst licensee Todd Bryant, who also has the Bathurst and Kelso restaurants in his portfolio, was thrilled to see the doors open for the first time.
He said the location of the new restaurant is ideal.
"This one serves those coming in from Orange and the ones exiting Bathurst, out into regional Australia," he said.
"It's a great location for the residents close by too."
All up, the process behind getting the new McDonald's restaurant built is almost three years in the making, from proposal to approval, to construction and the eventual opening.
"These things don't come quick," Mr Bryant said.
"The most important part of this is that we've actually given employment opportunity for this side of town.
"We've currently got about 130 staff. We're looking at about 150 for this restaurant. So all up in the Bathurst area, we've probably got another 50-100 jobs to offer out there."
A great start in life
Mr Bryant said McDonald's provides a great start for anybody looking for their first job.
"I've seen mayors, police commissioners work at McDonald's when they were 15. I've seen them all come up in the rankings at McDonald's," he said.
"It's a great start for anybody and it gives them great credentials to actually grow into their designated careers."
Access to the new McDonald's restaurant is currently off Corporation Avenue, while exiting is through Bradwardine Road.
A new slip lane from Mitchell Highway to the fast food hub is expected to open on Thursday.
The West Bathurst restaurant will be open 24/7, like the Bathurst and Kelso counterparts.
Other businesses set to follow
Located on the corner of the Mitchell Highway and Bradwardine Road, the McDonald's restaurant is one of a number of new restaurants at the fast food hub that are expected to open in the coming week
The Western Advocate understands that the 7-11 service station will open on Thursday, March 21, Red Rooster will open on Friday, March 22, while Subway's opening is imminent.
They're not the only new businesses opening up in Bathurst, with the long-awaited Village Bakehouse only weeks away from opening.
The initial plan was to open in early 2023, but the businesses faced a number of issues including construction delays, bad weather and waiting for approvals.
These new businesses are set to provide a significant boost to the economy, especially in terms of employment for job hunters.