Banner near Ilkley McDonald's says 'we're not loving it'

Rachel Laidler, 55, said the chain's contractors had heavily damaged her perimeter wall in Ilkley by digging a 4.5m (15ft) deep hole for a water treatment tank right next to it.

She and her husband Peter, 70, had got on "well" with the workers until they made the huge ditch, which is just 1.9m (6ft) from their bedroom.

The new restaurant opened at the former Kashmiri Aroma restaurant on Coutances Way, next to the A65, on Wednesday, bringing back into use a building that closed last May.

The new McDonald's in Ilkley, with Rachel Laidler's house and banner in the background (Image: SWNS) Rachel - who also lives with her dad, Cyril Taylor, 91 - felt incensed by how McDonald’s and the council had treated them as they fought to address the issue.

A spokesperson from the US chain has since said it is "satisfied the correct procedures were followed" - adding that it had "committed" to repairing the fence.

A spokesperson for Bradford Council outlined it is "aware of this issue" and "in discussions with the owners’ representatives". 

But Rachel erected her banner on Wednesday, when the new Ilkley restaurant opened, which read: "We're not loving it - see the unrepaired damage they left behind their fence".

People pointing out the banner (Image: SWNS) Rachel Laidler (right) with her husband Peter (left) and dad Cyril (centre) (Image: SWNS)The mum-of-four said: “People all over the country are having these issues. 

"Everybody says you shouldn’t take on McDonald’s but it’s just wrong what they are doing.

“They just don’t care and yet they pretend to care. So that’s a conflict in their marketing.

“I’ve got my 91-year-old dad living with us and he just can’t believe that anybody could be such a bad neighbour.

“I’m just angry and I just can’t bear injustice. I’ll stand up for the people in the next development as well now that I see the bigger picture."

Construction work for the new McDonald's store, with Rachel Laider's house and the area the hole was dug to the left (Image: SWNS) A view of the hole (left) and the water treatment tank being installed (right) (Image: SWNS) Soft furnishings company boss Rachel was pleased when work began to turn an ex-Kashmiri restaurant into a McDonald’s this year as the site had fallen into disrepair. 

She said her husband Peter was undergoing "brutal" treatment at the time for throat cancer, and her main preoccupation was helping him survive his terrible ordeal.

At first, Rachel said they had maintained a good relationship with the builders and Peter even helped them occasionally when his health improved.

But things started to fall apart when they dug the huge hole close to the five-bed home, which Rachel claims caused her concrete retaining wall to slip and crack.

Rachel Laider said the works damaged her fence and concrete retaining wall (Image: SWNS) She said: “Relationships were fine. My husband went around and helped them with one or two bits and pieces as he started to feel a bit better.

“And we weren’t looking over the fence the whole time because we’ve got our own lives to get on with. 

“Then they came around and said, ‘We’re going to be digging a hole really quite close to your fence... it might be good if the dogs don’t go round there.’

“And then we couldn’t believe it – it was literally the other side, and this hole just got deeper and deeper. It’s 1.9m from our bedroom wall and it’s over 4.5m deep.”

Rachel said she and Peter fell out with the builders over the incident. 

The McDonald's car park next to Rachel Laider's fence and house (Image: SWNS) She then began emailing Bradford Council about the water treatment tank, which is now going through a retrospective planning application process.

But Rachel felt the local authority had simply “washed their hands” of the problem.

She said: “There was nobody to talk to us, environmental health never came out, nobody even acknowledged our emails, many of which were sent. 

“The only email we ever got back was, ‘It’s been signed off, it’s nothing to do with us any more.’"

Aerial view of the new McDonald's in Ilkley, with Rachel Laider's house to the left (Image: SWNS)A spokesperson from McDonald’s said: “As part of building our new McDonald’s Restaurant in Ilkley, we installed a water treatment tank, following a review of the local drainage infrastructure. 

“Once on site, it became clear that the water treatment tank could not be placed in the exact spot originally planned. 

“However, the main outlet pipe where the treated water leaves the site remains in the same location. 

“Relevant experts have assured us that the relocated tank does not impact neighbours or the surrounding area in any way, and we are working with the planning authority to make sure they are satisfied the correct procedures have been followed, and will follow any further steps they ask us to take. 

“We have made a commitment to repair the damaged fence and this week we contacted the neighbour to discuss next steps."

A spokesperson for Bradford Council added: “The Council is aware of this issue and is in discussions with the owners’ representatives. 

“We have been advised that a retrospective Planning Application is being prepared and once received the Council will fully consider it, which will include the usual publicity to give residents a chance to make their comments.”