All-night Big Macs leave a sour taste

COLIN SMITH/Nelson Mail

AGGRIEVED: Tahunanui Dr resident Garry Giblin is upset with McDonald's 24-hour trading and is asking other nearby residents to object.

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Tahunanui residents are upset about the noise and rubbish created by "hoons" who use the suburb's McDonald's drive-through early in the morning, and nearby motel-owners fear the disturbances could cost them business.

McDonald's franchisee Matt Smith applied this month for resource consent for both the Tahunanui and Rutherford St outlets to open round the clock.

The application for the Tahunanui outlet - which already opens 24 hours - says no complaints about early-morning trade had been brought to the attention of its operators, except one that appeared to have followed media coverage of the opening hours of the Nelson city outlet.

Apex Motor Lodge owner Errol Beattie believes this is misleading.

"I've been over there and complained and left three complaints," he said.

The first was in April, in the second week the outlet began 24-hour trading. The complaints were made to the outlet supervisors, he said.

The all-night opening was bringing trouble that had previously been confined to the central city, he said.

"It's opening up another area for the hoons to congregate."

Both Mr Beattie and Kingsgate Hotel Beachcomber owner Sydney Lo were concerned that they might lose business due to late-night noise from the outlet and its patrons.

Mr Lo said a problem with drivers speeding through his carpark had worsened since McDonald's starting opening at all hours.

Tahunanui Dr resident Garry Giblin is urging residents in the area to write a submission against McDonald's Tahunanui application.

He fears that if McDonald's is allowed to continue its extended hours, the KFC outlet on Tahunanui Dr will do the same, making the problems worse.

Nelson Residents Association secretary Ken Meredith said McDonald's 24-hour trading had started "with scant concern for the many private residents in the vicinity".

M Smith said he was aware of only one complaint against the Tahunanui franchise, received in writing by the city council.

He said he had received no complaints and was not aware that his staff had received any.

Anyone with an issue about the franchise was welcome to contact him, he said.

Mr Smith applied to open his Nelson outlets round the clock after the Nelson City Council served the Rutherford St outlet with an abatement notice forcing it to close in the early hours of the morning from August 1. He is waiting to hear whether an application for a stay on the abatement notice is successful.

Submissions on the resource consent application for McDonald's Tahunanui and Rutherford St outlets close on August 8.

NCC divisional manager of planning and consents, Richard Johnson, said a hearing would be held after that date to decide whether consent would be granted. Evidence would be heard then.

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