A PETITION to stop a fast food chain opening in Ulverston has been set up.

Last month councillors and members of the public met planning members from McDonald’s to discuss the proposed site for a new drive-thru restaurant.

A restaurant is planned to open in the Canal Head area of the town, next to Booths car park.

The move will see a potential creation of up to 85 full and part-time jobs for local people.

But plans for the fast food giant to make its way into Ulverston have left some residents angry.

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A petition, which has already gathered 437 signatures, was created by Cheryl Gorry.

Mrs Gorry fears other fast food chains will follow suit and the residents in the town will become obese.

She said: “Our town is unique, it’s a Fairtrade town, a market town and a festival town.

“Building a McDonald’s in Ulverston will damage our small cafes, jobs will be lost and there will be more traffic."

She added: “It will produce so much litter for Ulverston and the surrounding areas.”

Mrs Gorry wants people to get behind the petition to stop the fast food chain coming to Ulverston.

The petition has a goal of 500 signatures but Mrs Gorry wants to gather as many as possible.

She said: “The first thing we see when we arrive in town is Hoad, which is brilliant. We do not want to be greeted by a huge McDonald’s sign.

“Booths car park will become full of loitering and litter, which will find it way into the canal."

Matt Carpenter, planning consultant at McDonald’s, said the fast food chain already had plans in place to tackle litter.

At the meeting he said: “McDonald’s will collect all litter within 150 metres of the restaurants.

“Staff do that three times a day, including the car park.

“There will be bins provided for customers to but their rubbish in.”