Papa Johns Bangor opening to create 20 jobs

Papa Johns is set to open a new takeaway in Bangor, Co Down, on Wednesday 11 November, creating 20 jobs. The opening will be Rana Group’s third Northern Ireland outlet under its franchise agreement with the American pizza brand, following launches in Ballymena and east Belfast.

Third opening in twelve months

The new outlet at 173 Clandeboye Road adds Bangor to a network that Rana Group has been building since signing its Papa Johns franchise agreement in 2025.

Its first two locations opened in Ballymena in December 2025 and on the Upper Newtownards Road in east Belfast in May 2026. The Ballymena outlet is on Broughshane Street, while the east Belfast location serves Ballyhackamore.

Bangor therefore marks the group’s third opening within twelve months. It is a further step in a stated ambition to open 20 Papa Johns outlets across Northern Ireland over the next decade.

That longer-term target remains distinct from the openings delivered so far. Bangor is the latest named location, and the Belfast Telegraph reported that the company had not disclosed where future stores would be situated.

For Ireland’s franchise community, the development provides a concrete example of a regional franchise agreement progressing through successive local openings, rather than remaining solely an expansion announcement.

Forecourt premises adapted for pizza takeaway

The Bangor store will occupy a repurposed part of the MACE convenience store and garage on Clandeboye Road, according to the Belfast Telegraph.

It joins two existing food businesses at the forecourt site: The Frying Squad fish and chip shop and Asian Delight Chinese takeaway. The location therefore places Papa Johns alongside established takeaway operators rather than in a standalone restaurant setting.

The new venture will offer both in-store collection and delivery to the local area. Those are the confirmed customer services for the opening; the announcement centres on a pizza takeaway rather than a dine-in restaurant format.

To mark the launch, the first 100 customers will receive a free medium pizza. The Belfast Telegraph also reported a launch offer pricing large pizzas collected in-store at £10.

The premises are a notable part of the story alongside the headline jobs figure. This opening uses space within an existing convenience and forecourt property, showing the particular site format chosen for the brand’s entry into Bangor.

Experienced operator behind the expansion

Rana Group is led by Lisburn-based Amit Abhol, also known as Rana, who has more than 25 years’ experience in the pizza business, according to The Irish News.

Alongside its Papa Johns agreement, the group holds the franchise for Mary Brown’s Chicken, which has opened at Lisburn Leisure Park and Belfast’s Odyssey Place. The Bangor project therefore sits within an operator’s wider involvement in branded food businesses in Northern Ireland.

Speaking about the Papa Johns opening, Abhol said: “It’s an exciting time for Papa Johns in Northern Ireland, and we’re proud to be creating new jobs and becoming part of the local community.”

His group’s role is important to understanding the expansion. The international brand is growing its local presence through a franchise partner that is opening and developing the Northern Ireland outlets.

Bangor adds a local milestone to the growth plan

Grant Read, Papa Johns’ managing director for the UK and Europe, described Bangor as another step in the company’s regional expansion.

“This opening is another important step in our growth plans for the region and demonstrates our commitment to investing in local communities through new restaurants and job creation,” he said.

The immediate milestone is specific: a Clandeboye Road outlet, 20 new jobs and collection and delivery services for Bangor. The wider ambition is a 20-outlet Northern Ireland network over the next decade, with further locations still to be announced.

Practical takeaway: For prospective franchise partners, distinguish confirmed openings from long-term targets. Rana Group’s Bangor launch offers a useful case to follow as an established operator builds a regional network one location at a time.