Pensioner, 71, calls out Burger King for claiming 'lack of family-friendly restaurants' in planning application for new Northampton branch

A Northampton resident has blasted Burger King for claiming a "lack of family-friendly restaurants" in the surrounding area of where it has submitted planning permission for a new branch.

Overstone resident Ian Nelson wrote into this newspaper calling the fast food giant out for statements within its planning application to open at a new village centre at the under-construction Overstone Leys housing development.

Burger King submitted plans to West Northamptonshire Council last month to open a new branch within Overstone Leys housing development just off the A43, which will be home to thousands once complete.

The company said in its plans: "The area has a lack of family friendly restaurants and we feel we can develop a place within the community whilst providing employment within it. In recent years we have opened a number of new restaurants adjacent to areas of residential development

"As the nearest Burger King restaurants to Overstone Leys are 40 miles away in Coventry it is very likely that we will recruit the entire staff and management from the local area."

However, 71-yar-old Mr Nelson wanted to remind Burger King that there are in fact "family friendly" restaurants just a five-minute drive away at Weston Favell Shopping Centre.

He said: "I am not sure what counts as a family friendly restaurant but clearly the writer of the letter has never visited Weston Favell and Riverside, a stone’s throw from Overstone Leys, where such eateries are located."

Mr Nelson went on to call out Burger King for claiming that the nearest Burger King restaurant to Overstone Leys is in Coventry.

He said: "Burger King’s own website claims that there are many Burger King outlets within 20 miles of Overstone Leys so this would appear to be incorrect."

Speaking to Chronicle & Echo, Mr Nelson said: "The other issue I have got is, we have been promised high quality building works but it's not particularly high quality bringing in a Burger King. The planning system is not brilliant and big businesses get whatever they want.

"The worry we have got is, it's supposed to be a village centre. You don't have a village centre on a busy dual carriageway. It's going to have a Burger King, a Costa Coffee, a BP garage. It's supposed to be for the local neighbourhood.

"What I suspect will happen is you will have every Tom, Dick and Harry on their mopeds bringing in extra traffic to Overstone, which is what Aldi has already done."

According to the Overstone Leys housing developer, Rothstone Estates, the new village centre would include new shops, a childcare nursery with outdoor play space, office spaces for local companies, a Costa Coffee shop, Burger King, and a BP petrol station.

Burger King has been contacted for comment.