Sandwiches are being served up alongside car sales and servicing after Jennings Group opened a Subway franchise at its Stockton Kia dealership.

Building on a catering theme which started with the introduction of a customer café within its Ford Direct site at South Shields, the group has created nine new jobs by opening a Subway at the Preston Farm site.

It is the second Subway franchise to open in a UK car dealership, following the one opened last November at Skipton Ford, North Yorkshire, the outlet is being run by Natasha Khan, the daughter of Jennings Motor Group managing director Nas Khan.

Nas Khan said: “The day the Subway opened there were literally people queuing out of the door.

“It’s a popular area – surrounded by many other car dealerships – and we’re confident that it will be a success.

“This is something new for us but, with my daughter behind it, I’m confident the business will succeed. She has really taken on the challenge and has been there from 6am to 10pm, working behind the counter herself. I’m very proud of the start she has made.”

Jennings Group’s Subway opened last month and is one of 500 stores the fast food retailer now has in “non-traditional” locations, from convenience stores and petrol station forecourts to universities and hospitals.

Greg Madigan, area development manager for Subway UK and Ireland, said that such sites were a “Key area of growth for the brand”.

He added: “The simple operations that are involved in running a Subway franchise and the convenience offer makes it a perfect fit for these style locations, in this case for dealership customers and those visiting the store.”

The Jennings Group employs 470 staff at Kia, Ford, Ford Direct, Mazda, SEAT and Mitsubishi dealerships across Teesside and the North East, in addition to a Harley-Davidson branch based in Leeds.