A Liverpool city region McDonald’s restaurant is seeking permission to open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to meet customer demand. Andrew Brown reports
A McDonald’s restaurant at Central 12 Retail Park on Derby Road in Southport is seeking permission to increase its opening hours to 24 hours a day.
When the McDonald’s opened two years ago, Sefton Council set opening hours of 6am to 11pm each day. Deliveries are not permitted outside of 5pm to 9pm.
Owners say increased hours will allow them to meet customer demand, as well as creating additional jobs, providing more hours for existing employees, and boosting the local economy.
They have submitted an application to Sefton Council asking for permission to change the conditions related to opening hours which were set when planning permission was granted two years ago.
The site became the third McDonald’s in Southport, adding to sites at Kew and Central 12. A letter from Savills UK said: “We write on behalf of our client, McDonald’s Restaurants, to amend the operating hours of the restaurant at Unit 11 Central 12 Retail Park on Derby Road in Southport.
“This application seeks consent for the 24 hour operation of the restaurant, seven days a week. The application site extends to 424 sq m and is a modern, purpose-built retail unit.
“It was previously occupied by Royal Doulton and then remained vacant for 10 years before being occupied by McDonald’s in July 2024.
“Central 12 is an established commercial location. There are already nearby operators trading at similar or longer hours.
“Most notably, Asda Southport superstore, within the same retail park, trades from 6am to midnight Monday to Friday, demonstrating that extended early morning and late evening already forms part of the established character of the retail park.
“The site is therefore located within a well-established retail and commercial environment, where extended trading is already taking place.”
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It adds: “The extension of hours is intended to enable the restaurant to better meet customer demand during the late night and early morning periods and to improve overall operational efficiency.
“The extension of operating hours for the restaurant will create additional employment positions and additional working hours for existing employees at the site.
“These positions help to reduce unemployment and increase earnings and disposable income which benefit other businesses.”