McDonald’s 24-hour drive-through set to open at new East Lothian service station

A 24-hour McDonald's drive-through restaurant is set to go in at the new service station. Pic: Shutterstock

Burger chain giant McDonald’s is expected to open at the former Raceland karting centre site, near Gladsmuir, as part of a plan by UK firm Euro Garages to create the complex on its site.

The company has confirmed that it will be its first development to have McDonald’s as its retail partner.

The news comes three years after the burger chain opened its first outlet in East Lothian at Spott Roundabout,  Dunbar.

As well as a petrol filling station on the land Euro Garage says it wants to include a drive-through coffee shop, two drive-through restaurants, parking for 107 vehicles and outdoor picnic tables.

Euro Garages said it already operates more than 104 Starbucks, including drive-throughs, 167 Subways, 50 Burger Kings and 104 Greggs bakeries across its sites.

However in a planning statement to East Lothian Council it said: “Euro Garages have recently structured a partnership with McDonald’s and the proposal at Gladsmuir will be one of the first developments to have McDonald’s as a retail partner.”

They also revealed that the plan was to have one of the restaurants open 24 hours a day with the coffee shop operating seven days a week from 6am to 11pm.

It has not been confirmed whether McDonald’s will operate the 24-hours-a-day  restaurant.

The plans will go before the council’s planning committee on Tuesday.

A report by officers revealed there had been four representations to them on the plans – one in support, one against and two which “neither oppose or support the proposal” .

The objector insisted there were enough similar facilities servicing the local area.

However planning officers said that while there were a number of petrol filling stations in East Lothian there were only two roadside services facilities at Old Craighall and Spott Road, beside Dunbar, which were 23 miles apart. The new site would be between  them.

Karting centre Raceland shut in January last year after nearly three decades in operation.