Residents have aired their grievances over the ‘unsuitable’ location of a McDonalds opening in Wokingham.
The fast-food chain restaurant is set to open a new branch in Bridge Retail Park on Finchampstead Road, also home to a Pets at Home and Majestic Wine. It is taking over the premises of the former Carpetright store.
Wokingham Borough Council have now approved plans for advertisement at the site. These originally included a 4.5 metre tall ‘totem’ upon the entrance, but this has since been removed.
Instead, a wall-mounted banner adjacent to the store will be displayed.
But residents have raised concerns about the location on Finchampstead Road, given its critical route into the town centre.
These were noticeable on an advertising application for the McDonalds submitted to Wokingham Borough Council, in which neighbours aired their grievences over the plans.
One resident wrote: “I’d have reservations about a drive thru facility at this site, it’s purely just going to add more population to an already congested area back onto the Finchampstead Road.
“I’d certainly say that this location isn’t the right choice.”
Finchampstead Road is one of the main roads leading to Wokingham town centre, as well as a petrol station and large Tesco supermarket.
Another wrote that ‘disturbance, anti-social behaviour and impact to the road congestion are guaranteed if this plan goes ahead’.
Another argued that the signage would ‘obscure vision of drivers exiting the car park when they look for on-coming traffic’.
Despite concerns, highway officials raised no objections to the plans, saying that it would be unlikely to obstruct visibility for drivers.
Others have disagreed with the general principle of a McDonald’s coming to Wokingham, claiming that it would have a negative impact on the local community.
Some also argued that there are enough fast-food chains already in Wokingham, including a Burger King, a less than three-minute walk away.
Also in the town centre are large chains including Nando’s and Dominoes, as well as an array of independent Asian takeaway venues.
But others have praised the move, saying that it will bring jobs for the town, and that it will provide ‘an improvement on the crappy Burger King that’s been here for years’.
Many objections relating to the fast-food chain coming to Wokingham were not taken into account, as officers noted only advertisement-related comments were relevant.
