Coronavirus: Huge queues at Burgess Hill McDonald’s ahead of closure

Burger fans flocked to the fast-food eatery in Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Civic Way, Burgess Hill, on Monday (March 23), to get a last-minute fix before it closed later that evening.

This picture, shared with the Middy, shows dozens of cars queuing to get their hands on their last Big Mac.

The area is already known for traffic chaos due to drive-thru queues at the restaurant.

The town council has been working closely with the restaurant to try and find a solution.

Councillor Samantha Smith (Dunstall ward) posted the photo to Facebook and said: “I dread to think what the queue will be like when McDonald’s opens again.

“I feel so sorry for the staff today in all the stores, not just Burgess Hill.

“Orders are being placed in excess of £70+. Really! Staff have worked their socks off!”

McDonald’s said that it had become clear that maintaining safe social distancing while operating busy takeaway and drive-thru restaurants was increasingly difficult.

Paul Pomroy, chief executive officer of McDonald’s UK & Ireland, said on Monday (March 23): “We have not taken this decision lightly and know that our restaurants have been playing an important role in the community providing hundreds of thousands of free drinks to frontline health and social workers and emergency services personnel.

“But I have been clear throughout this that we would only continue to operate whilst it was safe for our people and together with our franchisees, we feel now is the time to make this decision to temporarily close.

“We will be working closely with community groups across the UK and Ireland to distribute food from our restaurants to those most in need, and ahead of closing tomorrow evening, will ensure frontline health workers and emergency services personnel do not have to pay for any food or drink in our restaurants on sight of their work pass.”

He thanked all 135,000 employees at McDonald’s for adapting to circumstances over the last few weeks.