A MCDONALD'S restaurant set to open at the new Hexham Gate Retail Park has submitted a bid to stay open 24/7.

The fast-food giant has submitted an application for a premises licence and said the restaurant and drive-thru at the former nuclear bunker site off Alemouth Road would be open 24 hours a day.

A new Lidl store opened at the retail park at the end of last month, and they will also be joined by a 69-bedroom Travelodge hotel and a 250-space town car park.

McDonald's has stated they want the premises licence to be effective from May 12.

In a bid to reassure the community, McDonald's has listed measures that will be in place to help prevent nuisance and disorder.

They said: "This restaurant understands that in extending our opening hours we have a duty to the local community and that we continue to protect our staff and customers from danger and harm.

"We believe that the systems we have in place are robust, thorough and will, as far as reasonably practicable, secure the promotion of the four licensing objectives.

"It should be noted that no McDonald's restaurant within the United Kingdom serves alcohol and further none of our drinks or food are served to customers in glass receptacles."

The chain added that it is 'content' to put measures in place to limit noise 'where it is practical to do so', and that they will try to encourage customers to be considerate to neighbours and to limit noise when ordering food and on leaving the branch.

The consultation period for the licence application ends on May 11.