Local Residents Against McDonald's |
A McDonald's store is often seen by local residents and neighbourhood groups as yet another junk food outlet in the vicinity and a threat to existing local businesses, as well as causing litter and traffic problems (especially Drive-Thrus). People are increasingly also raising objections to McDonald's targetting local children, and to the spread of low wage 'McJobs'. Many proposed new stores are opposed and many local campaigns have been successful despite the fact that the planning laws are generally favourable to McDonald's and the company invariably tries to use their resources and influence to override the wishes of local people.
The company tends to use a carrot and stick approach. They claim they will 'enhance' the community and 'create' new jobs for locals while threatening to take the application to a costly appeal if they lose. But McDonald's are not invincible - local residents have been victorious in East Finchley (London), Winchmore Hill (London), Nottingham, Leicester, Fairlight (Austrilia), & Montpelier (Vermont, USA) to name but a few.
The main issues to focus on when
objecting to an application are the
planning related issues
of
traffic (congestion, parking,
pollution and safety) and environment
(litter, noise and smells).
We recommend you employ a number of tactics including:
We encourage and back these local campaigns, and believe that such campaigns can provoke a wider debate in local communities about some of the fundamental issues - diet and nutrition, casualisation of labour, environmental damage, misleading advertising, animal welfare and the need to question the power of multinationals.
These pages are provided as a means for local residents to work together to oppose individual McDonald's stores. Please keep the McInformation Network and the McLibel Support Campaign informed about any proposed developments, the progress of your own campaign and any planned protests etc.
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