SOME might think there is a bit of a stigma attached to saying you work at a fast food restaurant such as McDonald’s.

But you wouldn’t think it if you visited Melksham’s branch, where staff are enjoying their newly refurbished surroundings.

Following last week’s £450,000 investment, spearheaded by franchisee Mike Guerin, there are smiles on the faces of both customers and staff.

Bob Nye, 26, who is nearing 10 years as a McDonald’s employee at Melksham, said: “There’s a really friendly working environment here and everyone gets along.

“The managers treat everyone the same; nobody gets special treatment and staff respect that.

“I’ve made some really good friends here. I lost contact with my friends from school so my colleagues here have become my new friends.

“There’s always something to do; you’re never just standing around twiddling your thumbs, which I really like.

“I’m a crew trainer here which means I train up all the new members of staff. I really enjoy it as I get to meet lots of new people.

“Through doing that, I’ve learned a lot of new skills and have grown in confidence. I used to be quite shy but that’s definitely not the case anymore, I’m sure others will agree.”

The 74 members of staff work in a range of different areas from the kitchen, where the famous burgers are prepared, to the front counter, where customers order their food.

However, that isn’t necessarily the case following the refurbishment, as customers can now order their food from state-of-the-art kiosks which greet them at the entrance if they prefer.

The introduction of interactive kiosks is one of the main changes brought in, and one which has excited Mr Guerin, who owns a total of 12 McDonald’s restaurants in Wiltshire and Bristol.

He said: “Technology has a huge role to play in all walks of life, including our customers’ eating out experience, so the new technology we’ve introduced recognises the way people live their lives today.

“It’s another example of us trying to exceed customers’ expectations.

“But the staff are the most important aspect of any restaurant. Here in Melksham there’s a really great bunch of local people who love working as part of a team.”