McDonald's on Old Bromley Road in Bromley has been granted permission to extend its opening hours until 1am every day of the week, following approval by Lewisham Council's Planning Committee on Wednesday, August 12. The fast-food restaurant, which has operated at the site since 1999, will now serve customers an extra hour each night, from midnight to 1am, in addition to its existing 6am-to-midnight schedule.
Approval Details and Conditions
The application, submitted under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act, sought to vary the conditions of the original planning permission granted in 2014. The committee's decision allows the restaurant to remain open for one additional hour daily, but with specific restrictions during that period. According to Murat Ocalan, a Franchise Supervisor for the Old Bromley Road McDonald's, the restaurant's indoor seating and customer car park will be closed from midnight to 1am, with only the drive-thru and a designated delivery driver area in operation.
Mr. Ocalan explained to the committee: "During the additional hour, we'll continue to operate in a controlled way. Customers will use the drive-thru, collect their orders, and leave, while delivery partners will continue using their designated areas for collecting orders and leaving." He added, "There will be no customers sitting inside the restaurant or using the customer parking areas. We'll also take management of the surrounding areas seriously, particularly when it comes to litter. We already have a litter patrol strategy in place, and it's been used consistently in the restaurant."
Public Concerns and Objections
During the public consultation, the proposal drew 10 objections from local residents, who raised concerns about noise nuisance and litter. One resident, who spoke at the meeting, recounted repeated complaints to the restaurant: "I've [rung McDonald's] seven times in the last year to complain about noise and all they do is send me vouchers... that's not good enough." She also expressed worries about parking spillover, saying, "If the car parks are closed, the customers will park outside our streets. When the windows are open, my kids will get distracted. If they [are open] until 1am they could still be there till 1.30am."
In response, Mr. Ocalan noted that litter picking occurs three times daily—at 7am, 2pm, and 9pm. A planning officer also stated that the council had not received any complaints regarding noise or anti-social behavior from the site, contrary to the resident's claims.
Impact and Next Steps
The additional hour of operation is expected to meet customer demand and provide extra employment hours and disposable income for current staff, as Mr. Ocalan highlighted. The approval was granted at the end of Wednesday's meeting, marking a permanent change to the restaurant's operating hours. The council's decision is final, and the restaurant will begin its extended hours immediately, with the conditions on parking and litter management in place to mitigate potential impacts on the surrounding area.
