McDonald's leaves High St

Falling numbers of shoppers in a Black Country town was forcing its McDonald's restaurant to shut today after almost a quarter of a century.

The High Street, Dudley, serves its last Big Mac today.

It marks the departure of another big name from the town. McDonald's said it had taken the difficult decision to move after 25 years because people were turning to out-of-town retailers, such as the Merry Hill Centre, rather than shopping in the hub of Dudley.A McDonald's spokesman said: "It's essential that we continue to have the right restaurants in the right places to ensure we stay relevant and convenient for our customers.

"As part of an ongoing review of our restaurant sites, it has become clear that the location of McDonald's in Dudley is no longer suitable.

"Since the restaurant opened in 1982 the trading patterns of Dudley High Street have changed, and as a result we have taken the difficult decision to cease trading at this site."

Town centre manager Andrea Jones said: "This is something which is happening across the country, not just in Dudley, but it was still a surprise to hear McDonald's is moving out.

"It is a shame to lose any trader off High Street and, as a council, we do promote vacant properties and we will be looking to get someone in as quickly as possible."

Of the 27 staff 25 go to neighbouring restaurants and two have resigned.