Backlash over plans to build McDonald’s metres from top state boys school

Proposals for a McDonald’s drive-thru just metres from one of the UK’s top state schools have been labelled as “outrageous and utterly irresponsible” amid the childhood obesity epidemic.

The fast food giant is currently planning a new restaurant in St James’s Park, in the leafy village of Bishop’s Stortford, just 230m from the site of Bishop’s Stortford High School.

The proposal comes as the latest analysis on childhood obesity reveals England is projected to have the highest prevalence of obesity in Europe by 2030, with over 35 per cent of adults living with obesity. While over a third of children are currently overweight or obese, according to the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

The development is just 20 miles from the home of longtime school obesity campaigner Jamie Oliver, who is an active member of the local community.

While the project remains in the planning stage, teachers at Bishop’s Stortford High School have told The Independent that the chain could “significantly impact” the health and well-being of its 1,300 students.

Headmaster Dale Reeve said that the school is moving to a new location in the autumn and warned that more than 1,000 pupils could be just 230 metres away from the Golden Arches, should the drive-thru go ahead.

“We will have 1,300 students and I would anticipate that lots of them will converge on McDonald’s and obviously they will be unsupervised,” he said.

“We have times during the school day where they gather in great numbers in our playground, but they’re supervised by us and they behave impeccably well.

“We’ve got a great reputation, but we think that would be significantly impacted by this project.”

While there are plans to include other retailers including Central Co-operative and PureGym as part of the broader development, these have not inspired the ire of locals who fear the impact of the cheap fast food so near to young pupils.

Headmaster Reeve added: “I am gravely concerned that locating a fast-food restaurant that close to our school could have catastrophic implications for the health and well-being of our students, and I’m sure many parents and carers would agree.

“[The school] doesn’t have anything like it where we are currently. There will be multiple issues. Childhood obesity is an ongoing concern and McDonald’s by its very nature is open all day, whether it’s 24 hours or from early in the morning until late at night.”

Child health campaigners, including Oliver, this week welcomed the news from Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting that Labour would ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s. But despite recommendations from numerous studies, there are no laws banning fast food outlets from opening near schools.

“Childhood obesity is an great concern,” said Dale Reeve, the school’s headteacher, whose school is due to move to the new development next year. “I would anticipate that lots of our 1,3000 students would converge on McDonald’s, and obviously they will be unsupervised.

“We have times during the school day where they gather in great numbers in our playground, but they’re supervised by us and they behave impeccably well.

“We’ve got a great reputation, but we think that would be significantly impacted by this project.”

A two-week public consultation into the plans to construct a McDonald’s is currently being held by the site’s developer, Countryside, until June 17.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is a Bishop’s Stortford local and he famously went on a mission to make the nation’s school dinners healthier.

He slammed McDonald’s, in particular, describing the fast food giant’s beef as being “unfit for human consumption.”

The developer Countryside is seeking planning permission for shops as well as restaurants, cafés and other services.

A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We believe community feedback is an essential part of an effective planning process and welcome the thoughts and opinions of local residents in Bishop’s Stortford.”

The BBC reports that should the proposed site and its eateries be approved, construction will begin next year.

The Independent has contacted McDonald’s and Countryside for further comment.