TWO of vacant sandwich shops are reopening under new management.

Subway stores in The Broadway, Pitsea, and Fodderwick, Basildon, are reopening their doors after closing last year.

Goyash Miah, who also has a franchise on a Subway in Staple Tye, Harlow, has taken over the Pitsea shop and work is under way to open it by the end of this month.

Hakan Hayrettin, who has the franchise on the Fodderwick Street shop, will launch his first Subway store next month.

The franchisee who previously ran both Subways closed them in April last year, citing “personal reasons”.

Bob Dalgarno, development agent for Subway in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, said both shops used to be extremely popular and he hopes they will continue to do well under new management. He said: “I am delighted to see these stores reopening.

“Their closure was a big loss to the area and to the Subway family of franchisees and was not due to the lack of custom, but to other factors for the company that owned them.

“Pitsea, in fact, still holds the record for the busiest hour during a store opening sale in the East of England.

“Fodderwick Street was also very popular with locals, travellers using the station and market users.

“The Subway brand, with its £3 lunch and healthy options, is growing fast and this part of the East of England will see a dozen new openings this year with the creation of up to 90 full and part time jobs.”

A Subway in Southchurch Road, Southend, was closed by the same franchisee who ran the Pitsea and Basildon shops in April last year.

It also recently reopened under new management.