‘People power’ sees McDonald’s abandon their Triangle plans

Fast food global chain McDonald’s has decided to cash in its chips, or “fries”, and abandoned its latest step towards world domination with a branch on the Crystal Palace Triangle. For now, at least.

“Commercial reasons” has been given by the burgers ‘n shakes multi-national for their U-turn, although one local figure suggested a more realistic explanation: “Perhaps they saw the opposition on local social media groups and decided it was all too much trouble?”

Inside Croydon reported last month how McDonald’s had revived plans to open one of their large, fast-food joints on Westow Street, in the heart of the Crystal Palace Triangle, and close to two conservation areas.

Unlike their previous proposals, from 2019 (when they wanted to open a 24/7 “McDonald’s to Go” takeaway-only outlet), this time the company wanted a “more traditional McDonald’s restaurant with seating and reduced opening hours”.

The old Poundland site on Westow Street was their potential location.

The 2019 planning application was rejected as “inappropriate” by the council’s planning department.

They also received strong representations opposing the development from the Met Police who described the proposed fast-food joint as “likely to give rise to gang activity”; “potential for increased rates of robbery”; and “potential for more road accidents, especially involving scooters”.

Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood ward councillor Claire Bonham has been told this week that McDonald’s have decided that they won’t even be progressing with their updated scheme any further.

“I’ve just heard from McDonald’s that ‘owing to commercial reasons’ McDonald’s will not be bringing forward the Westow Street site at this time,” said Bonham, Croydon’s only Liberal Democrat councillor, who had been co-ordinating local opposition to the proposals.

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