Sunderland protest fails to block new McDonald's
Controversial plans have been approved for a £1m drive-through McDonald's restaurant on the site of one of Sunderland's best-known pubs.
The Double Maxim, on Durham Road in Farringdon, Tyne and Wear, was named after brewer Vaux's popular brown ale.
But, despite a fierce protest by regulars, Hartlepool-based Pubmaster sold the 65-year-old pub to McDonald's.
Now campaigners have also lost their battle to stop the restaurant being built after plans were approved by council officers without being put to councillors.
Local resident John Ward, who led the protest, said: "We're very angry about this, because we were told we would be informed at every stage.
"Yet it's now a month since this was approved and we only found out by accident. We feel we've been treated terribly."
McDonald's said it was investing £1m and work would start at the end of this year, taking about three months. It said the restaurant would create 60 jobs.