THE McDonald’s restaurant in Chester’s Forum Shopping Centre will close within a month, The Standard can reveal.

Bosses at the fast-food giant said the decision was made due to “significant changes in trading patterns” in the Northgate Street area.

They also cited the planned redevelopment of the site as a reason for the closure, which will happen on June 2.

The entire shopping centre and indoor market is set to demolished in the coming years to make way for the Northgate retail, leisure and residential development.

A spokesman for McDonald’s stressed that all employees at the city centre branch have been offered positions in other restaurants.

She told this newspaper: “We are sad to confirm that due to significant changes in trading patterns in this area of the city and with planned redevelopment works on the site, the decision has been taken to close our restaurant in The Forum Shopping Centre on the 2nd of June.

“All of our employees have been offered positions at other local restaurants. We continue to have a strong offering in Chester having invested significantly to enhance the customer experience in our other restaurants and remain committed to the local area.”

There is a second branch on Foregate Street in the city.