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Is McDonald's deserting the high street?

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anti-pacer

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I know McDonald's is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it. Personally I like their breakfasts, and normally have them before or after a long rail trip, or a Travelcard challenge. For example, I have travelled down to London early on a Saturday morning and tucked into a breakfast in both East Ham and Ruislip before the nearby shops have even opened.

One thing I have noticed over the years is just how many high street McDonald's have closed down, including here in Wakefield. It was always busy but yet it closed. However, we also had 2 Drive Thru's at the time, with a third opening recently.

Here is a list of high street branches that I know have closed. I'm sure you could add to it.

North Shields
Darlington
Accrington
Southport
Crosby
Cheetham Hill (replaced with a Drive Thru nearby)
Stretford (replaced with a Drive Thru nearby)
Altrincham
Wakefield
Barnsley
Leeds Briggate (top end)
Dewsbury
Keighley
Worksop
Ilkeston
Beeston (Nott'm)
Grantham
Erdington, Birmingham
Harborne, Birmingham
King's Norton, Birmingham
Tamworth
Bromsgrove
Hemel Hempstead (my first ever visit to a McD's)
Golders Green
Hampstead
Upminster
Ilford Cranbrook Road
Tottenham High Road
Crystal Palace
Streatham
Ramsgate
Bognor Regis
Horsham

I'm sure there's more but that's a sizeable list. I wonder what the reasons were to close these.
 
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Kite159

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Might be down to high rents & other taxes which makes the town centre locations not as profitable as the ones out of town.
 

SpacePhoenix

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Some of it might be down to some sites perhaps not being suitable for the new style branches. Many around here have been refurbed and you can now place your order at your seat. Not been in a refurbed one myself yet
 

Cletus

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The one in Dover town centre is closing next month. Locally presumed to be due to high rents.

I have a feeling that they will re-open as a drive-thru somewhere on the A20 towards the ferry port.
 

Bald Rick

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Yes, it is a definite strategy of theirs, partly driven by their franchising model. Lower rents/rates, better able to fit to their new style of restaurant, parking availability is a big issue, and the ability to offer drive thru improves turnover a lot (although I don't know why!)
 

Cletus

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Because lazy people can go out for a meal without getting out of their car?

So, close all drive-thru's and solve the country's obesity problems? :lol:
 

Lrd

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and the ability to offer drive thru improves turnover a lot (although I don't know why!)
Cuz people be lazy and don't wanna get out of their car...

There's also a big increase in people staying home and ordering in through the likes of Deliveroo, Just Eat, Hungry House etc etc
 

anti-pacer

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When I was a kid going to McDonald's was a treat in a way, or part of Saturday trips out with friends.

Burnley was my local at the time, but I probably went to Leeds St John's Centre and ironically Wakefield more. Different now though.
 

Harbornite

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You can add Harborne and Broad Street (Birmingham) to the list, although the former closed about 15 years ago and the latter was a few years after.
 

Peter Mugridge

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Here in Epsom they closed the one in the shopping centre and kept the one in the High street. Doesn't make any difference to me, though, as I don't use them...
 

Iskra

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I think this is a sad reflection of the state of the high street economy in many towns. Those that are near a bigger city/town tend to have their footfall taken away by a combination of their near neighbour and the internet. Any new investment then seems to focus on new-build out of town retail parks/malls, which then further sucks the soul out of the town.

High street landlords want ever-increasing rents, which is at odds with the ever declining trade. Equally, councils don't seem to understand that car-parking charges are putting-people off (or their budgets are so tight they can't afford to let go of the income).
 

Busaholic

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I think this is a sad reflection of the state of the high street economy in many towns. Those that are near a bigger city/town tend to have their footfall taken away by a combination of their near neighbour and the internet. Any new investment then seems to focus on new-build out of town retail parks/malls, which then further sucks the soul out of the town.

High street landlords want ever-increasing rents, which is at odds with the ever declining trade. Equally, councils don't seem to understand that car-parking charges are putting-people off (or their budgets are so tight they can't afford to let go of the income).

Councils often don't care because they can still impose full business rates on empty shops. When you get a council area that encompasses a number of towns, like in Cornwall where District Councils were abolished some years ago, the problem can be compounded as most of the councillors are not accountable to the citizens of an individual town. The system stinks!
 

thejuggler

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Councils often don't care because they can still impose full business rates on empty shops. When you get a council area that encompasses a number of towns, like in Cornwall where District Councils were abolished some years ago, the problem can be compounded as most of the councillors are not accountable to the citizens of an individual town. The system stinks!

Nice rant. Pity you don’t understand the basics of business rates.

Rates are a central taxation on business premises. Central Government set the rules (including empty property rates), local Councils implement the rules, collect the money and send it to HM Treasury, Treasury then give some of it back to the collecting authority.

This is due to change in 2020, but thats a long time away. I agree the system is a mess, every Government says they will review it, but its an easy tax so they won’t.
 

Harbouring

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I wonder if city centre locations attracted more anti social behaviour, kids buying a drink between 5 etc. It's why a lot of them close seating areas early too
 

johntea

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Maybe they’re just trying to focus on the high street venues where they can go for 24 hour opening to attract all the drun...I mean shift workers! (Huddersfield is in the press for this at the moment although I’m not sure how you can blame McDs!)

Leeds Briggate on a Friday / Saturday night turns into a nightclub with a gated queue and bouncers! Luckily a lot of people seem unaware the station one is an option until 2am!
 

James H

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Poole has also lost its McDonald's on the high street.

In central London, several branches have disappeared due to redevelopment. The branch in Cannon Street was demolished to make way for the new entrance to Bank tube. And Guy's Hospital lost its branch to a Science Gallery attraction.
 

gazthomas

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Yes, town centre business rates and lease fees money grab, offset by a move to "drive in". My local branch in St. Albans city centre closed a couple of years ago (to be replaced by a Metro Bank interestingly) but this left quite a few "drive-thru" branches near by.
 

61653 HTAFC

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It's worth noting that the majority of Maccy D's are franchises, not owned by the global fast-food giant. Whilst unlike Burger King they manage to get the food very consistent between outlets, you'll notice big differences in the quality of service between restaurants run by different operators. The Dewsbury one closed down due to the franchisee deciding that the unused 2nd floor would make an ideal cannabis farm, though a combination of crappy service, poor hygiene, anti-social behaviour and competition from the drive-thrus at Heckmondwike and Birstall didn't help. Nor did the fact that Dewsbury as a town at the time was dying on its arsenal even more than it is now.
That same subsidiary also ran the old Burger King in Huddersfield, which was famous around the county for terrible and slow service!
 

Lrd

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The vast majority are actually company owned. There's surprising few that are franchises. It's also not unknown for the company to buy a franchise out.
 

SpacePhoenix

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Poole has also lost its McDonald's on the high street.

I think I read somewhere that the ex-Poole branch was one of the oldest in the UK. The Taco Bell that opened up in Poole High Street has probably taken some of the trade that would have gone to the McDonalds (along with the Burger King that's also gone). It seems like the chains might be moving to drive-through style restaurants in some places (there's a planning application been submitted in Poole for a new drive-through restaurant to open, the brand is not known atm)
 

Bald Rick

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.... It seems like the chains might be moving to drive-through style restaurants in some places (there's a planning application been submitted in Poole for a new drive-through restaurant to open, the brand is not known atm)

A quick look on Poole's planning portal reveals it will be a Starbucks.
 

High Dyke

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The closure of the Grantham one was replaced by a new branch just south of the town centre. That said the drains on the High Street still get that cooking fat odour during heavy rains. Like many towns though the place is loused out with plenty of other eateries in the town centre. Now if we only had more shops for people to also visit in between numerous tea & tiffin stops.
 

SpacePhoenix

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A quick look on Poole's planning portal reveals it will be a Starbucks.

They must have added the documents since, the documents aren't always available when they appear on the planning site.

In Bournemouth there is, well at least was a McDonald's in the ADSA store, occupying what used to be the ASDA cafe
 

Mag_seven

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To some extent is Wetherspoons damaging them on the high street? Proper plates, proper cutlery, similar price, similar standard of food - and a pint?

I would agree with that - In the morning I would generally go for a Spoons breakfast rather than a McD breakfast though I do like the Coffee out of McD's.
 

radamfi

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McDonald's scrapped breakfasts with scrambled egg last year so I've hardly been there since.
 

Mag_seven

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McDonald's scrapped breakfasts with scrambled egg last year so I've hardly been there since.

They still do scrambled egg at the Mcd's in Hamburg Airport (where incidentally you can eat your meal on the adjacent viewing terrace!)
 

radamfi

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They still do scrambled egg at the Mcd's in Hamburg Airport (where incidentally you can eat your meal on the adjacent viewing terrace!)

Yes, I was surprised to see it at Berlin Hbf recently. I don't remember Germany having scrambled egg in the past.
 

Daz28

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The vast majority are actually company owned. There's surprising few that are franchises. It's also not unknown for the company to buy a franchise out.
Actually 69% of McDonalds Restaurants in the UK are franchise owned. However it is complex as at many sites, McDonalds own the freehold of the site and then rent it to the franchisee.
 
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