MCDONALD’S has shut a franchise in a seaside town but locals have hailed the closure as a “wake up call”.
The popular fast food chain has permanently shut its branch on St Mary Street in the centre of Weymouth, Dorset.
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Locals though see its closure as a reflection on the need to help struggling businesses in the town centre.
Melcombe Regis councillor Jon Orrell has called for parking to be made cheaper in the town after car park prices were hiked earlier this year.
He said: “It is a shame to lose such a popular venue in the town centre.
“The town centre is at risk of dying, a lot of the chains are moving to places outside of town which people have to drive to.
“This compromises the town centre and these out-of-town places require people to be able to drive to reach them.
“It is a wake-up call to help other businesses in the town.
“Parking prices in Weymouth being disproportionately high comes as a double whammy when we are already losing shops and businesses.
“We need to challenge the council to make parking the same as elsewhere so that people aren’t penalised for coming to Weymouth.”
The McDonald’s branch shut its doors for good on May 16 this year, adding that staff had been offered the chance to work at restaurants nearby.
The restaurant was one of four McDonald’s outlets owned by local franchisee Chris Truscott who owns and operates restaurants across Weymouth and Dorchester.
McDonald’s is still operating restaurants at Souter Way and Jubilee Close retail park in Weymouth.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “While we continue to actively grow our estate we do, on occasion, need to consider the future of individual restaurants.
“Sometimes we have to make the difficult decision to close a store, based on a number of factors.
“These can include having opened a new restaurant in the same area 12 months ago.”
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