THE first 24-hour McDonald’s in Islington was given the go-ahead by the council this week.

The restaurant, in Chapel Market, Islington, was granted a licence at a meeting on Monday morning.

The new opening hours are subject to conditions from the council, including industry standard CCTV, no open alcohol containers being allowed on the premises and deliveries being kept between 6.30am and 6.30pm.

In addition, residents should not be unreasonably refused the telephone numbers of the manager and franchisee.

Prior to the decision, concerned people in the area had written an anonymous letter to council officers expressing concern about noise levels caused by late night customers and deliveries, particularly during the working week,

David Tydell, who runs a fruit stall on the market, said: “I don’t see the need for a 24-hour McDonald’s here. It is a residential area and people will be parking outside at all different times. It means vehicles might be in our pitches when we arrive in the morning.

“Then there is the rubbish and the mess they make when they leave. It’s bad enough already because people know it opens at five.

“They should have granted it to the one on City Road which is in a non-residential area and has a drive through, it would have been ideal, but it seems the powers that be have other ideas.”

A spokesman for McDonald’s said: “We believe that offering extended opening hours provides a convenient choice for our customers.

“We remain committed to being a good neighbour which includes playing our part in tackling litter through regular litter patrols, community cleanup events and litter education projects.

“Our door is always open if anyone would like to discuss any concerns about the impact of our operation on the local community.”