‘Late-night burgers are a magnet to boy racers’ (From Cotswold Journal)

‘Late-night burgers are a magnet to boy racers’

2:00pm Friday 14th September 2012 in News

FAST food giant McDonald’s wants to extend the hours of its Evesham branch but is facing opposition from residents who say it is a magnet for late night ‘boy racers’.

At a town council meeting on Monday, members voted against proposals to open the restaurant between 5am and midnight, seven days a week.

Currently the branch, in Charity Crescent, opens at 7am and closes at 11pm.

Coun Richard Jones spoke out against the change to the closing time. He said: “I think it will court more traffic late at night. I am not so against the early opening hours. I don’t know if it is a coincidence but McDonald’s closes at 11am and that is the time we get wheels screeching. It is a magnet for boy racers.”

It is not the first time McDonald’s has tried to extend the restaurant’s opening hours, with the proposal first coming to light in December 2010.

And in February this year the company wrote to councillors to ask their thoughts on plans to open its ‘drive thru’ on the Four Pools estate until 2am every day.

Helen Donovan, who lives near Charity Crescent, said: “Why can’t they respect people’s peace and quiet? The hours are long enough as it is. We don’t want any more traffic, noise or litter than we already have. They say there won’t be any noise but it is out of their control.”

The final decision on the plans will be made by Wychavon District Council in the coming weeks.