McDonald's closes

Long rumoured to be on its way out, McDonalds has permanently closed its downtown Kelowna restaurant.

For a number of years, the area has been a hangout for drug dealers and the homeless.

McDonald's Western Canada spokesperson, Chris Stannell, would not speculate on external reasons for the closure.

"It's really a business decision. The location was not performing as we would like," says Stannell.

"It happens from time to time. It's part of a regular course of business to make decisions like this."

Stannell says the company has decided to focus on the other restaurants in the city.

He declined to comment on outside influences entering into the decision, only to say that the recent construction of the Water/Pandosy corridor has made business more difficult.

"It's safe to say the changes to the entrance points going into the restaurant have made it increasingly difficult for that location."

Other business have either relocated or shut down in the region due to the influx of drug dealers in the area.

Stannell says employees at the downtown restaurant have been offered positions at other locations.

He says the company has no plans at this time to open another restaurant in the immediate area.