How To Run A Campaign

 

A McDonald’s restaurant is often seen by local residents and neighbourhood groups as yet another junk food outlet in the vicinity that brings no real benefit to the local community, as well as causing litter and traffic problems (especially drive-thrus). Many proposed new stores are opposed and many local campaigns have been successful despite the fact that planning laws are generally favourable to McDonald’s, and the company invariably tries to use its resources and influence to over-ride the wishes of local people.

The first thing to note is that McDonald’s have been refused planning permission for new stores and drive-thrus to existing stores, and that they do pull out of applications despite the impression they give that it is inevitable that they will appeal, asking for costs from the local council. But McDonald’s are not invincible – local residents have successfully fought their planning applications in Hinchley Wood (Surrey), Harrow (Middlesex), Abergavenny (Wales), Portland (Oregon), Rocklin (California), High Wycombe (Buckinghamshire) the New Forest (Hampshire), East Finchley (London), Winchmore Hill (London), Nottingham, Leicester, Slough, Bracknell, Fairlight (Australia) & Montpellier (Vermont) to name but a few.

Success tends to be due to councillors’ determination to stand up for planning guidelines / laws within the context of their local policies and the concerns of their communities backed up by substantial local opposition. Public opposition and the ability to put a sound planning case against the development are crucial, we believe. The campaign must be well organised, informed, strident, popular and – most importantly – determined. And it should start immediately. This is what we hope to provide here – practical advice and also some inspiration on how to run a campaign against a McDonald’s development, based on the experiences of communities who have trodden this path before you.

We recommend that you employ the following tactics:

  1. Organise your task force who will lead the campaign to get the planning application refused.
  2. Find out what exactly you’re fighting – what does and doesn’t need planning permission. Understand what the planning related issues are.
  3. Lobby your local authority and write letters of objection.
  4. Local councillors make the final decision, lobby local politicians and other influential groups.
  5. Show strength of public feeling by organising a petition.
  6. Raise awareness and mobilise people to fight the application.
  7. Set up your own public relations and publicity machine to increase awareness and support the lobby against the application.
  8. Research other legal issues which may be relevant to the application.
  9. Congratulate yourselves and celebrate when you win! Now get ready to fight McDonald’s appeal.
  10. You could go for some extreme activism and occupy the site to prevent construction.
We encourage and back local campaigns, and believe that such campaigns will provoke the wider debate in both local communities and nationally about the more fundamental issues – environmental damage, advertising aimed at children, exploitation of labour, diet and nutrition, animal welfare and the need to question the seemingly unfettered power of major corporations. See The Entire Case: Why McDonald's Should Not Be Allowed To Set Foot In Your Community.

Stop The Store is provided as a means for local communities to work together to oppose McDonald’s stores. We can also host web pages about your campaign’s progress for you via Stop The Store. In this way, you can keep your local community and Stop the Store informed of any developments and the progress of your campaign. If you have any further questions or queries once you have read these advice pages, then please contact us at stopthestore@mclibel.org

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