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McDonald’s is facing calls to provide shelter to a homeless man who was drenched by security guards outside its Victoria Street restaurant on Saturday night.
Footage posted on social media shows a man in a high-viz jacket soaking an area where a homeless man was camped out and ushering him away from his spot on the pavement.
A number of bystanders, who tried to intervene when they saw what was happening, were told to stop filming by the guards.
Both the man’s sleeping bag and possessions were left sopping wet following the incident, as temperatures plunged overnight.
McDonald’s has since apologised for the incident that emerged on X today and said the workers, employed via a third party, have already been removed from the restaurant.
In a statement posted on social media the restaurant chain wrote: “We are shocked and saddened by this incident.
“The third party security guards involved have been permanently removed from our restaurants and the restaurant team has been reminded of the importance of treating all people with respect, including vulnerable people both in the restaurant and within the wider community.
“We would like to wholeheartedly apologise to the gentleman in the video and will work with the council to locate him and make amends as part of our ongoing work to support homelessness charities in & around the area.”
Calls for them to provide accommodation for the man effected have since been circulated on X, with PoliticsJOE journalist Ava Evans leading the charge.
According to recent figures, a typical burger outlet, which are run as franchises around London and the UK, can clear £200,000 in profit a year.
McDonald’s generated a total revenue of 23.18 billion US dollars in 2022.
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