Health concerns over plans to convert derelict Leeds pub into a McDonalds

Plans to convert York Road’s Old Red Lion pub into a McDonald’s have caused mixed opinions among local residents.

Public health officials have advised that the application be rejected due to concerns regarding rising obesity rates in the area.

The 262 year old pub, located in the East of Leeds, has become a hotspot for crime since it closed in 2021.

Locals fear that replacing the pub with a McDonald's restaurant will result in "lots of noise" and "lots of people".

Leeds City Council's planning committee are expected to make a decision in the coming months, with the public consultation coming to a close on 14 October.

Ellie Lapinska has lived behind the Old Red Lion pub for almost six years.

She said: "If they're going to agree to build a McDonald's it's going to cause lots of noise at ridiculous hours. It's going to be smelly all the time so, generally it's a big no."

She added: "We've lived in this house since 2019 so, we survived the pub when it was here. It was closed for a reason and we don't want anything that even comes close to a venue like McDonald's or other takeaways."

Councillor James Gibson represents the Cross Gates and Whinmoor ward.

He said: "McDonald's would not be my number once choice of how to use this site, but it's a privately owned site. It's down to the private owners who they sell it to and, in the interim, there is an immediate risk in that the site is unsafe so, all of these things have to be balanced."

A McDonald's spokesperson says its menu has contained nutritional information for over 30 years.

They said: "We continue to evolve our menu to ensure our customers can make informed choices, with 54 per cent of our menu now classified as not high in fat, salt or sugar.”

Despite McDonald's pledge to offer healthier fast food options, some residents are still not sure how to feel about having such a popular food chain on their doorstep.

Adam Kennedy is a father who lives on the estate behind the Old Red Lion pub.

He said: "It's going to make the place a bit more dirty with all the stuff getting thrown everywhere but it might help the area because it might improve the parks because they said they're going to invest money."

A public consultation over the plans found that 61 per cent of people were in support of the proposal to replace the pub with a McDonald’s restaurant.

The public consultation will continue until 14 October.

After this date, the Leeds planning committee will then face a tough decision. Will they prioritise economic growth and job creation, or the pressing public health concerns raised by local officials?