PROTESTERS are fighting back against ‘bully’ McDonald’s to let it know they are not loving its plan to turn a pub into a burger bar.
Hundreds of people have signed a petition against the planning application to change The Broomwood in Sevenoaks Way, St Paul’s Cray, into a drive-thru fast food restaurant.
The campaigners have also written to celebrity chef Jamie Oliver as well as the borough’s MPs to get their support.
They hope to put enough pressure on Bromley Council so it does not pass the pub owner’s change of use application.
McDonald's is expected to buy The Broomwood pub site
But if the Bramwood Taverns proposal is approved then burger giant McDonald’s is expected to buy the site.
Andrew Wilson, of Sevenoaks Way, is leading the campaign against the application and said: “We’re telling them that we’re not loving it.
“The no campaign is saying to them ‘No, we do not want it. It is not for this area.’
“I’m a big user of McDonald’s and I’m not an anti-McDonald’s basher but I do not want them here because it is not the right place.”
McDonald's 'is the bully'
The father-of-two added: “Before I went to senior school my father told me if I ever get hit by a bully then to hit them as hard as I can and this is how I feel.
“The McDonald’s corporation is the bully and I’m going to give them as big a punch as I can.”
Campaigners fear a drive-thru will increase traffic in the area and cause other food businesses to lose trade and eventually close down.
They also think it will act as a beacon for youths and attract them to the area.
Mr Wilson, 44, added: “People feel pubs are part of the community but the likes of McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC are not the kind of establishments for a residential area.
“People have had enough. They just do not want it and it is time for the little guy to stand up to the big guys.
“We are going to give them the biggest bloody nose.”
McDonald's 'respects concerns raised by residents'
A McDonald’s spokesman said: “We firmly believe in the planning process and respect the concerns raised by local residents.
“We are committed to ensuring our restaurants make a positive impact in their local neighbourhoods.
“We can promise that any incidents of antisocial behaviour in or around are restaurants are not tolerated and are dealt with swiftly.
“We also take great care to ensure the design of our restaurants, including the drive thru lane, minimises any environmental or traffic impact.
“We base our restaurant marketing plan on growing new sales and new visits to McDonald’s and our focus is on our customers, not competing with other outlets.”
RPS Group, the agent for Bramwood Taverns, was not available for comment.
-There are 44 McDonald’s within 10 miles of The Broomwood and 11 within five miles of the pub.
-Three of the restaurants within five miles have a drive-thru and 19 of them within 10 miles have a drive-thru.
-McDonald’s has 1,200 restaurants across the country and serves 2.5m people per day.
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