The branch in Station Road, Edgware, shut its doors to diners on March 30 after almost 15 years of serving burgers and chips because of a lack of customers.

A McDonald’s spokeswoman said: “The closure is unrelated to the urban myth of food poisoning which began five weeks ago. We had to carry out an investigation with environmental health – if we had not, then we would not have been doing our job. The result was satisfactory.”

“Unfortunately, the restaurant closed because the locality has changed since the restaurant opened. What was fantastic years ago is no longer there in Edgware for the business, but restaurants such as Stanmore and Colindale continue to thrive.”

Barnet Council confirmed the closure of the restaurant was not an environmental health issue.

Edgware resident Sue Thorne, who regularly dined at the restaurant with her two children, said she was relieved there is no truth to the food poisoning rumours.

“We pop into McDonald’s a few times a month and it never seems particularly unpopular, but it was busier a few years ago”.

But Louise Marks, from Edgwarebury Lane said: “It currently attracts a nasty crowd who just hang out there because they really do not have anything better to do. Maybe now Edgware can get back on tracks and return to the nice neighbourhood it used to be.”  
 
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