McDonald’s is to recruit 20,000 workers and open 50 new restaurants in the UK and Ireland. The fast food chain plans to employ additional staff and set up new franchises over the next 12 months. The firm said the additions were not replacing jobs lost throughout the pandemic but were being driven by an expansion drive, and in anticipation of increased crew capacity as part of changing government coronavirus guidelines. Paul Pomroy, the chief executive of McDonald’s UK and Ireland, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to offer an additional 20,000 people an opportunity to work with us. “There is no doubt the pandemic has had a huge impact on many people’s employment opportunities and threatened the future of high streets up and down the country. “Our 1,400 restaurants are run by 200 local franchisees, which means we have a personal stake in every one of our communities. “It’s a big responsibility, and the moves we’ve announced today reflect our commitment to continue to innovate and invest in the local communities and economies we serve.” McDonald’s employs more than 130,000 crew members in the UK and Ireland. Pomroy told the Sunday Telegraph it was “getting harder and harder to recruit”. He said: “Attracting the talent will be critical.” Pomroy also shrugged off fears over a long-term slump in city centre footfall after the pandemic, saying: “The great British high street is going to continue into the future.” Under the company’s pay structure, everyone under 21 is paid more than the national minimum wage, and everyone over 21 is paid more than the national living wage (currently £8.91 an hour). In the US, McDonald’s announced in May it would raise the hourly wages for its company-owned restaurants by an average of 10%, amid a labour crunch in the restaurant industry and campaigns to lift wages.