“McDonald’s Closes Town Centre Location” was the headline (EDP April 24) that apparently came as a shock to Lowestoft’s business leaders.

This move of the restaurant’s operations from the town centre to Kirkley Rise in line with the soon to be third crossing came as little surprise to those people in the town who were interested.

It was also announced on September 19, 2019, that the new “McDonald’s restaurant on Kirkley Rise will create ‘at least 65 jobs (now 55) and bring significant investment to the area”.

Assurances were given that this new drive-through restaurant would not affect the branch on London Road North.

Many representations by the public were made to the letters page of the local Archant newspapers and the ESC planning webpage concerning this third McDonald’s. They included the effect on traffic flow with the third crossing to come, pollution, deprivation and obesity and the detrimental operational and employment effect on other restaurant businesses in the area.

Now it seems that the East Suffolk Council and their planners were seduced into granting this development application by undeliverable promises. A questionable number of extra jobs and more business activity seemingly lost to the town centre. Why couldn’t anybody in ESC planning not see the likely consequential effects of this development?

Let us hope that an alternative business sees the potential of the empty retail site.

Even the seagulls have noticed the trend and are moving to the North Quay and South Quays for their “fly-thru” burger experience.

Norman Castleton,

York Road, Lowestoft.