People who love a cheeky Maccies react as Bolton gets its eighth McDonald's near Aldi, Costa Coffee and Greggs
McDonald’s is to open a new drive-thru restaurant at an employment park near Bolton – making it the eighth branch around the town.
Earlier this month the fast-food chain was given planning permission to develop a site on Cutacre Way, close to the Logistics North employment area, off the A6 Salford Road. Rival fast food chain Burger King also has an outlet close to the proposed new branch.
Also near to the site are a number of other retail and commercial outlets including Aldi, Costa Coffee, Greggs and the Pine Tree Farm carvery restaurant. McDonald’s said the outlet would provide a complementary use to the wider commercial area’ and ‘develop a vacant plot of land.’
The burger giant’s seven other branches in the town centre are at:
- Knowsley Street
- Derby Street
- Manchester Road
- Waters Meeting Road
- Chorley Old Road
- Pavilion Square, Westhoughton
- Middlebrook retail park
The Local Democracy Reporting Service visited Westhoughton, which has its own branch of McDonald’s at Pavilion Square and is just north of the new site to ask people what they thought of increasing numbers of fast food restaurants.
On a pleasant spring afternoon there were many people out in the town’s main shopping area and some of them were on the way to enjoy a ‘cheeky Maccies’. Leah Peploe and Reece James, both 28, were heading there.
“It’s just convenient isn’t it and you know exactly what to expect,” said Leah. “I like to go to independent cafes and businesses as well as I like to support them.
“But I think responsible people know how to balance it.”
David Ward, 61, said he didn’t think increasing numbers of fast food chain restaurants was of great concern. He said: “If there wasn’t the demand they wouldn’t get built as I’m sure these chains do their research. I enjoy a McDonald’s occasionally when I can’t be bothered to cook.
“I live in Deane and there’s no branch that close to me so I have to drive a distance to my nearest branch. It’s not like there’s one on every corner.”
Jim Foster, 52, from Horwich said: “People don’t cook as much now, that’s a real shame, it’s all about the convenience. These types of places are popular because it’s easy.
“They don’t even have to get out of their cars at most of them with the drive-thrus.” Bolton’s new McDonald’s outlet will mean Bolton has around 2.7 restaurants per 100,000 of its population.
However, figures published in 2024 show other areas of the country with even higher concentrations of the chain.
They include Westminster with 7.3 per 100,000, Cannock Chase and Bolsover with five, West Dunbartonshire with 4.6 and Newport with 4.4. The new site is not close to any residential properties McDonald’s said it would support up to 80 full-time jobs.
Last year, McDonald’s announced its plans to open over 200 restaurants across the UK and Ireland over the next four years in a £1bn expansion drive. The move would increase the fast-food chain’s UK and Ireland footprint by over a tenth to 1,700 sites.
A 41-year-old man, who did not wish to be named, said the new branch at Logistics North was ‘much needed’. He said: “I’m a lorry tyre fitter and work at the site a lot. Having services and food outlets there is great for the drivers and other workers, there’s thousands working there and they need access to hot food and drinks,
“It’s becoming a mini ‘services’ for a lot of people who use the M61 as the next place to stop is Rivington or Birch. I think it will also be convenient for staff at the hospital, which is quite close. They often work shifts so it will be cut and convenient for them.”
Brandon Lai and Becca Gore were out shopping in the town. Becca said: “It does make sense to have options at a site which is quite out of the way but where a lot of people work and visit. That being said, I’d like it if there were healthier options available.”
A design and access statement in support of the plans at Logistics North, said: “Vehicular access will be provided via a priority junction off Cutacre Way. Pedestrian access to the restaurant would be provided from Cutacre Way via Bridgewater Avenue.
“Two zebra crossing facilities through the car park will give priority to pedestrians. Thirty car parking spaces are proposed including three accessible bays and one EVCP bay.”
Describing the design of the building, the report said: “The design concept for the proposal centres on the delivery of a high-quality development that supports local demand for a McDonald’s restaurant. It has been designed with an attractive modern aesthetic which reflects the character of the retail and commercial uses in the wider area.”