Crime concerns sink McDonald’s bid for 24-hour Piccadilly Gardens restaurant
Manchester City Council has successfully defended its decision to prohibit the fast-food establishment extending its opening hours after presenting data on the area’s crime rate to the Planning Inspectorate.
MCD Manchester appealed the refusal of its request to make the Piccadilly Gardens McDonald’s a 24-hour establishment. The restaurant is currently open between 6am and 12am.
The city council rejected the request amid concerns it would increase crime in an area already blighted by antisocial behaviour.
Meanwhile, the authority also said that increased noise could impact nearby residents and suggested that a 24-hour McDonald’s could undermine efforts to regenerate the area,
In considering the appeal, planning inspector Andreea Spataru concluded that noise would “not cause unacceptable harm to the living conditions of the occupiers”.
In addition, the inspector waved away worries about the impacting of extending the opening hours on attempts to improve the area.
“The proposed variation of opening hours alone would be unlikely to affect the attractiveness of the area to such an extent as to discourage future investment and thus to be detrimental to the regeneration of the area,” she said.
However, the issue of crime was enough to sink the proposal.
Data presented at appeal showed a “particular increase in crimes late in the evening and night, particularly after 21:00” around Piccadilly Gardens.
The inspector concluded that the extended opening hours would attract more people to the area “from events and drinking establishments”, thus increasing the chance of crime.
“Given the close proximity of the appeal site to the public space, and the interconnectivity of the places within the city centre, the proposal would likely exacerbate the existing antisocial behaviour and crime issues within the immediate area,” she said.
Movement on the long-awaited regeneration of Piccadilly Gardens has been slow. LDA Design was appointed in 2023 to lead on the redevelopment of the maligned public space but there have been no announcements on the project since then.
The authority, which has come in for criticism over its handling of Piccadilly Gardens – particularly in relation to crime – wants the city centre zone to become “a special place with a strong sense of identity, [that is] welcoming and uniquely Mancunian”.
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Good decision. This McDonalds attracts crime and ASB even in broad daylight, let alone the early hours of the morning. It’s the workers I feel terrible for having to put up with constant trouble.
By Anonymous
No maccys for the post midnight trackies.
By Anono
This McDonald’s has got to be the most dangerous McDonald’s in the western hemisphere
By Dave
So MCC will now be reviewing/not renewing 24-hour consent for Burger King opposite on the same basis?
Or is the Hamburglar’s low profile in recent years down to him being quietly responsible for all the crime in Piccadilly Gardens and in no way MCC/GMP for not being far better at dealing with it?
By Mayor McCheese
Vile place. Haven’t set foot in there for years. It’s like a warzone
By Steve
Even Chuck Norris would be nervous about going in here after midnight
By Alan Partridge
Not until they sort out the crime in Piccadilly Gardens first.
By Paul R
there is a perception of crime but no actual crime in Piccadilly Gardens
By rolybling
Just goes to show that crime has won. When there is a choice of a business being able to open 24 hours and a problem with crime in the area. The solution is not to solve the crime problem, but to not allow the business to open 24 hours. Who gets punished? Businesses and their customers, or the criminals?
By EOD
Picc Gardens is probably one of the worst public realms in the developed world. It is absolutely terrifying at night and ropey during the day. It is an epitaph to years of MCC failures.
By Heritage Action
I miss the co-op that was there
By Anonymous
Oh yes, it’s the burgers that cause the crime! Design the place well and put some police there may help.
A plan was all set to go before Bev Craig decided against it and we continue to wait.
A big stain on Manchester.
By Dave H
This coming from the same council that approved a 24hr casino on the corner of the gardens, and *now* they’re concerned about crime and ASB.
By Anonymous
That place must be the most dangerous McDonald’s in Europe I’m surprised it’s not been closed completely with the violence and anti social behaviour in and around the place!
By Pawel o'rielly