Small Wānaka grocer resisting 'McDonaldisation'

With a little more than two weeks left for Wānaka to have its say on plans for the town's first McDonald's a local food retailer has launched a David and Goliath-style battle against the multinational fast-food chain.

Jesse Herbert says he is happy to "stick his neck out" and oppose the potential "McDonaldisation" of Wānaka in the hope of encouraging others who feel the same to voice their concerns too.

He owns Freshlink Grocer and on Wednesday posted to the business' social media channels a video challenging people to consider the impacts of a McDonald's opening on a proposed site beside the new roundabout at the junction of State Highways 6 and 84.

A simulation of the McDonald's restaurant proposed for the corner of State Highways 6 and 84 (Image: QLDC/resource consent application). 

"Imagine, one of the most iconic entries to any town in our beautiful Aotearoa, this, Mount Iron, soiled by one of the most depressing pieces of modern day architecture, a giant yellow 'M'," Mr Herbert's voiceover says, as drone footage of the would-be restaurant site plays.

While an online petition labeled 'Stop Wānaka McDonalds' organised by Wānaka resident Sarah Morrison has attracted more than 5,500 signatories, it has little sway on the Queenstown Lakes District Council's planning process.

Nor will Mr Herbert's social media efforts.

So how much of the groundswell of opposition from many residents translate to submissions made to the council on the application by McDonald's?

Reports suggest submissions are only trickling in.

Mr Herbert is the first to admit ins and outs of the consenting process are foreign to him - and he thinks plenty of other people passionate in their opposition to McDonald's setting up shop probably feel the same.

"I'll be frank with you, I don't totally understand the process...Am I submitting on something that can deny its entry into the town or are we just choosing how the end product looks?

"But, if those close to 6,000 people (who signed the petition) could submit some sort of submission to express their concerns, then I would hope that would get the ear of the higher-ups."

McDonald's itself requested that its resource consent application with the Queenstown Lakes District Council be publicly notified.

In recent weeks, McDonald's New Zealand communications lead Simon Kenny has told Crux the company is committed to the public submission process and the outcome of that process.

The company has already received approval from the Overseas Investment Office to buy the land at what's set to become Mount Iron Junction. 

In its application to the investment office, the company says it is working towards opening an all-hours restaurant there by 2026.

Wānaka's resistance to fast-food franchises is well documented, and in 2017 another petition was unsuccessful in stopping pizza outlet Domino's from opening its Ardmore Street store.

Mr Herbert pushes back at any suggestion there is an element of "snobbery" in Wānaka, with people thinking their town - or in his case, his business - is any better than any other, but he is clear he places no value on what McDonald's has to offer.

"McDonald's is essentially the first step to a town dying...It's the American strip mall model, right?"

A council spokesperson advises submissions on McDonald's resource consent application can be completed on this form and emailed to [email protected] by Friday, August 9.

All documents related to the application can be found on the council's website.

Main image (Supplied): Freshlink Grocer Jesse Herbert filming his 'passionate' opposition to a proposed Wānaka McDonald's to share on his business' social media pages.