Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Many Trees cut down at McDonalds
Six mature trees with trunks over 1ft have been cut down on the Mcdonald's property. They have also pollarded many others (I'd be amazed if they survived the heat wave).
Disgraceful to see large tree's being taken down in our borough so Mcdonald's can renovate.
They feed people terrible food and lower our air quality. Utterly horrible of them to attack our health from so many fronts.
Tags for Forum Posts: mcdonalds, mcdonalds trees, trees
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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The ones I added are Google Street View - but you could just post a link to this thread. No need to be registered to view.
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Rob Tao of the Harringay Traders was sent a copy of one of the local emails doing the rounds and has contacted the McDonald's Harringay franchisee. Rob has replied to me with the following. (I'm glad to read that my hopes of replanting may not have been in vain).
I managed to speak with the franchise operator of McD Harringay, and the removal of the trees were not planned, the builders found serious subsidence and root invasion damaging the main drainage in and around the car park. As a result, they had to spend extra contingent budget to rectify it on the fly. Some of the trees were planted right on the periphery and too near the curb's edge and pavement causing them to lift and resulting in the uneven surfaces.
They are prepared to replant the same number of trees on site and if this is not possible, they will plant off site to replace the ones lost because of the unfortunate situation.
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Permalink Reply by Nick Hare on
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I always think it's a presumptuous to assume that the building is in the right place, and the trees are in the wrong place. Perhaps they should have chopped a bit of the McDonald's off instead.
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Fowler on
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Hugh - Thank you for drawing this to our attention, and for querying with local councillors. I had not realised the trees had been removed, but then I have not been to the Arena are for a few weeks. I did notice when they replaced the real grass with plastic grass, which was certainly not a positive development. It does seem odd that McD at Harringay are removing grown trees at a time, with people's minds concentrated on global warming by the recent record breaking heatwave, when everything that we read about making cities more liveable is urging the planting of trees and the creation of green areas. I suppose we can but hope the trees will be replaced with new ones, perhaps of a more appropriate species, which will not risk subsidence etc.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon T on
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Hugh, I've just walked round as much of it as I can. From the car park entrance to the DriveThru booths, the entire width of what was once grass, between their road curb and the fence, is uninterrupted new artificial grass. No planting pits where the trees bordering Williamson Road were, no markers for same. I'd be amazed if there's any onsite planting in future. It'll be offsite planting if anything; reminds me of the medieval church 'indulgences' racket!
There are still three trees on their land at the northern edge of the site next to the railway station - all three have been pollarded, two back to bare branches; little prospect of regrowth this time of year and in this continuing drought.
To add insult to injury, they have (as is their legal right) cut back (to the trunk) branches of two trees on Network Rail land the other side of the boundary fence. From the cut marks the branches would have overhung their land. The highest cut mark I estimate to be 5-6 metres up the trunk of one tree. That would clear a double-decker bus, if they're expecting one.
Rant over.
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Permalink Reply by Alice Mezzo on
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Just posted this to Harringay Ladder parents FB. ' McDonald's Green Lanes have cut down a number of mature trees (see before and after photos below) and replaced their grass with plastic grass. As we all now know, the importance of green corridors for wildlife, and of trees, which reduce heat and pollution in cities, cannot be underestimated. The value of every tree, but in particular mature trees is now of paramount importance. Macdonald's is the world's largest user of beef, and known to be a great polluter and known contributer to human ill- health. They therefore, in my opinion, have a greater responsibility to take environmentally positive action. Small-scale issues like this one are an opportunity to confront large, polluting corporations in a way that may have practical and real results. I therefore invite you, as I will do, to write to Macdonalds and ask how they intend to replace these trees in our community, and maybe the plastic grass, in line with their claimed 'commitment to sustainability'. Thank you for helping to support positive change in our community. ADDRESS: Head Office, McDonald's, 11-59 High Road, East Finchley London, N2 8AW' . Thinking we can maybe also Tweet about this though I am not much on Twitter myself...
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It's kicking off on Twitter over this: https://twitter.com/ldnmoves/status/1551306633468329984
We could gain enough traction for a serious protest. We could even aim it for opening day for maximum impact.
If only we had an inkling of their plans, we could of had XR people living in the trees to protect them.
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Arranging a tree-cutting protest on McDonalds opening day? Too late, opened Tuesday morning.
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Mc-natural-disaster responded to my email:
I would like to start by offering my apologies for our delay in writing to you. I can appreciate how this has only served to cause further frustration.
Unfortunately, we had to remove a small number of trees at our Haringey Restaurant due to roots impacting the drainage system. We have already had positive conversations with the local council and committed to replanting more trees in the local area than the number removed as part of the works.
I really take issue with them saying all of the trees are a small number. The idea that they have had positive conversations is also pretty silly as far as I'm concerned. But I'm soo pleased they apologised for being slow to respond... They've really made up for the habitat destruction...
They need to replant the trees like for like on the Mcdonalds site, with similar sized trees that represent the same if not more biomass. Nothing else is acceptable at this stage.
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Here is the text of my letter to McDonalds. Their website appears to offer no way of emailing the company - what are they hiding from? - so this has gone by old-fashioned post.
Dear McDonalds,MCDONALDS ECOCIDE IN HARRINGAY
Last week the UK experienced its hottest ever temperatures. In the same few days, the people of Harringay watched in horrified disbelief as all the roadside trees at your restaurant at Williamson Road, Green Lanes, N4 were cut down.
These were mature trees, which offered shelter and shade to the pavement and to McDonalds’ own car park. A few trees have survived at the back of the car park, heavily pruned. Even the branches of trees on the railway side which extend over McDonalds’ land have been cut away.
The attack on the trees follows a pattern. When we moved to the area fifteen years ago, your restaurant had an attractive setting of gardens, hedges and trees. Shortly afterwards, most of the garden at the front was replaced with tarmac for cars. Then the beech hedge along Williamson Road was destroyed in favour of a wooden fence. That left a small strip of grass in front along the side, but you have lately replaced this with ugly plastic fake turf. By destroying the trees, you have pretty well completed the set.
The difference you have made by destroying the trees will be felt by everyone on this busy route. The pavement is hotter. The view is uglier. The air is less healthy. The fake grass smells of hot plastic.
Your own website claims that McDonalds are ‘committed to protecting and restoring nature, from towns to countryside, and rivers to forests.’ Do you think that the treatment of your Harringay property counts as ‘protecting and restoring nature’?
What restitution will you now make to Harringay?
Yours etc.,
(cc Harringay Community Forum)
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Here's their press office email address: pressoffice@uk.mcd.com
And info about the UK which you might be able to use to find a direct email address.
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