Battle of baguettes comes to Edinburgh

TWO of the biggest sandwich chains in the UK are set to go head to head in a contest for Edinburgh's taste buds today, in what is already being billed as the "battle of the baguettes".

Prêt a Manger, the fastest- growing chain in the UK, with 104 outlets, is launching its first store in the capital this morning. Blocking its rise to lunchtime supremacy is O'Brien's, the Irish-owned global chain, which yesterday countered Prêt a Manger's move by announcing its George Street branch in the city as officially the best O'Brien's in the world.

The man set with the challenge of seeing off the London-based invader could not be more suited for the task.

Trevor Miles, who runs the George Street O'Brien's is a former submarine lieutenant commander and is as equally at home six feet below street level in his basement store as 500 feet below the sea waves. His Edinburgh outlet defeated more than 120 O'Brien's from all over the world to win the coveted title. Miles picked up his award at the company's sixth annual international conference at Killarney, in Ireland.

O'Brien's founder and managing director, Brody Sweeney said: "The store is the epitome of the kind we constantly strive for. Trevor's previous military experience is reflected in his store.

"It is clean, efficient, friendly and controlled. The decision was also reached based on the superb feedback we have received about his staff and their bend over backwards approach to customer service."

But sources close to Prêt a Manger suggested yesterday that the Irish chain were all panini and no filling and the pounds 450,000 new outlet on Castle Street would triumph over all comers with brain-power enhancing snacks and a 12ft high Mini designed to look like a giant "More than Mozzarella" sandwich. It will initially create 14 jobs in the city, with another branch due to open in the spring.

The company was founded in 1986 in London and currently employs over 2,000 people. In 1999 it served more than 11 million cups of coffee and 15.5 million sandwiches.

O'Brien's can be found all over the world. Its six Edinburgh outlets have proven to be massively popular. Last year the six stores in the capital had a combined turnover of over Pounds 1.5 million pounds.

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