Alistair Macrow
CEO
McDonalds UK and Ireland
11-59 High Road
London
N2 8AW
McDonalds Green Lanes
29 July 2022
Dear Mr Macrow
I write to you on behalf of my constituents in Tottenham, regarding the felling of 6 lime and plane
trees on the site of the McDonald’s Green Lanes restaurant.
On 23rd June 2022, the week of the hottest recorded day in British history, I received
correspondence from a number of my constituents deeply concerned about the removal of a number
of mature trees from Green Lanes McDonalds. What is more, residents provided evidence that these
trees were replaced with a large section of plastic, artificial grass. Mcdonald’s Green Lanes removed
carbon-reducing trees and replaced these with a carbon-intensive alternative.
I was pleased to note that since 2020, globally, Mcdonald’s has ‘continued to substantially achieve
supporting deforestation-free supply chains across our primary commodities. Such action, in the
face of a global climate emergency, is both necessary and commendable. However, for McDonald’s
franchises to act in a way that directly contravenes McDonald’s ‘holistic approach to protecting
natural resources cannot be ignored.
McDonald’s Climate Risk and Resiliency Summary specifically note the company’s ‘collaboration with Franchisees’ as a part of the broader approach to Climate Action.
As well as in food production, any such approach must be inclusive of Mcdonald’s sites. The
removal of the trees on Green Lanes not only undermines McDonald’s corporate position on the
Climate Emergency, but it has a human impact on the Tottenham Community. In light of the Global
Heating these lime and plane trees provided much-needed shading and transpiration. The benefits of
these felled trees will now never be recovered.
I would appreciate if you could look into the decision of the Franchisee of Green Lanes McDonalds to remove the trees and replace these with artificial grass. I would be grateful if you could supply
my office with an overview of the circumstances in which the decision was made, and how
Mcdonald’s intends to rectify this wrong.
I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Rt Hon David Lammy MP
Member of Parliament for Tottenham
