McDonald’s opens special new restaurant in UK first

McDonald's has opened its first-ever "net zero carbon" restaurant.

The branch in Market Drayton, Shropshire, is powered by renewable energy from two wind turbines and 92 square metre solar panels while the walls are insulated with British sheep wool.

Also, the building's cladding is made from recycled IT equipment and white household goods - making up 250 square metres of materials.

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The wall signs are also made from used coffee beans and each kerb stone is made from 182 recycled plastic bottles while the drive-through lane has been constructed from recycled tyres.

Furthermore, a biodiversity garden and nature trail will collect rainwater from the car park and provide a habitat for frogs and other creatures.

The garden has been designed by school children from Market Drayton Junior school.

Gareth Hudson, McDonald's Director of Development, Matt Winfield, McDonald's franchisee and Beth Hart, McDonald's Vice President Supply Chain and Brand Trust at the launch of the UK's first Net Zero Carbon restaurant at McDonald's (Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)

It is the first restaurant in the UK that will be verified as net zero emissions for construction with the UK Green Building Council's net zero carbon building's framework as a reference.

The fast-food titan has stated it plans to use the "blueprint" site to achieve net zero emissions at all of its 1,400 restaurants and offices by 2030.

McDonald’s vice president of supply chain and brand trust, Beth Hart, said: “At McDonald’s we believe that our food needs to be served in restaurants that are sustainable for the future.

"Market Drayton is a big step towards making that a reality, enabling us to test and put into practice what a net zero emissions building, both in build and use, really looks like.

Beth Hart, McDonald's Vice President Supply Chain and Brand Trust (Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)

“We’ve already started to roll out some of these innovations to other restaurants, but what is exciting about Market Drayton is the fact it will act as a blueprint for our future new builds.”

UKGBC spokesman Simon McWhirter said: “The challenge of decarbonising the construction industry is a complex one, but McDonald’s commitment to building the first restaurant in the UK in line with UKGBC’s net zero carbon buildings framework is a critical first step.

“We welcome the ambition to achieve net zero emissions for all McDonald’s restaurants and offices by 2030.”