THE imminent closure of Ellesmere Port’s McDonald’s restaurant should be considered ‘a wake up call’ to the council and government.
That’s the view of the town’s Labour councillor Justin Madders, who is calling for local and national government bodies to ‘urgently step up to the challenge’ facing town centres such as Ellesmere Port.
A spokesman for McDonalds’s confirmed last week that the Whitby Road branch of the fast food giant will be closing its doors in December after 27 years, leaving members of the community stunned.
The closure was blamed on changing trading patterns in the town, with workers being told they will be transferred to neighbouring restaurants.
But Cllr Madders, who represents Ellesmere Port Town Ward on Cheshire West and Chester Council, is worried the loss could have a disastrous impact on the future of the town.
He said: “I have asked McDonald’s why they have decided to shut the Whitby Road restaurant after years based in Ellesmere Port.
“We need to see if there is any way we can persuade them to reconsider and it’s really important we understand what needs to be done to reverse the trend in that part of town.
“The loss of an internationally recognised brand like McDonald’s from Ellesmere Port should act as a wake-up call to the council and to the Government and they urgently need to step up to the challenge facing our high streets.
“Nationally, the retail vacancy rate stands at 14.6%, a three-fold rise since 2008, and it’s nearly 18% in Ellesmere Port.
“The Government’s failed economic plan has caused consumer spending to fall and businesses on our high streets are bearing the brunt.”
Cllr Madders added: “The news this week that the Government has delayed its review of business rates until 2017 is extremely disappointing.
“In Ellesmere Port, we have the town centre improvement fund, which was funded by the Marks & Spencer development, which aims to make the town centre more attractive and help breathe life into places like Whitby Road.
“But I’m worried this will only scratch the surface, we need radical ideas to reconnect Whitby Road with the rest of the town.”
