McDonald’s on the King’s Road suddenly closed on 6th July.
The restaurant – at the junction with Royal Avenue – is now boarded up and will not be re-opening.
The Citizen approached McDonald’s with a series of questions asking for an explanation behind the dramatic decision, but only received a basic statement.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said: ‘The decision to close the restaurant was not taken lightly. All members of staff have been made aware and have been relocated to nearby restaurants, within the same company-owned group.’
When The Citizen went to take photos of the closed building, numerous prospective customers were seen arriving and were most perplexed that it had closed. A group of schoolgirls seemed particularly vexed.
The Citizen is making further enquiries to unearth the reasons for the closure and what may arrive at the location next. Central to our enquiries will be who owns the building, which is of some architectural note for Chelsea and an historically important landmark. It is sure to be the subject of a keen acquisition process.
In the late 1960s, the building was known as The Chelsea Drugstore, which was a mini-mall set across three floors, with fashion boutiques, curiosity shops, a cafe and a bar. Every room was finished to a high design. The store became something of a fashionable focal part of the King’s Road during what became known as (cue tiresome cliche) the ‘Swinging Sixties’.
The Chelsea Drugstore was made famous in the lyrics to The Rolling Stones’ song You Can’t Always Get What You Want (the shop had a small chemist … where one might stand in line with Mr Jimmy to your prescription filled) and featured in a colourful scene from Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.
Inside The Chelsea Drugstore with Malcolm MacDowell in A Clockwork Orange
The Citizen will be monitoring developments for the building very closely. Maybe it’s next incarnation can be something a little more inspiring than a fast food outlet.
One cynical observer commented: ‘McDonald’s has been a blot of the King’s Road for far too long. Did you see the litter it generated? I doubt it will be missed and I am sure that Chelsea can do a lot better with this location. Let’s be braver and more imaginative.’
McD’s in its mid-years
The Chelsea Drugstore in its hey-day
Editor’s note: Do you have direct memories of The Chelsea Drugstore days? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Especially you, Mick…
Contact us at editor@thechelseacitizen.com
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