Wednesday August 5th 2026
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A Scottish Borders town today received a huge economic boost after it emerged that plans had been approved for a new £4m McDonald’s fast food outlet.
The news has been hailed as a tremendous fillip for Hawick.
The restaurant in Commercial Road, on the site of the former Bruce Motors garage, will create 100 new jobs and incorporate a 24-hour drive-thru facility, coffee shop and electric vehicle charging hub.
The go-ahead follows approval last year for a new £450m Center Parcs holiday village in Hawick.
The two acre site earmarked by McDonald’s incorporates 38 car parking spaces.
The only existing McDonald’s restaurant in the Borders is at Wilderhaugh in Galashiels, which the company say has been operating “above capacity”.
Approval for the Hawick outlet was agreed by officers at Scottish Borders Council on Friday under delegated powers, after two holding objections from SEPA and Transport Scotland were withdrawn.
Hawick and Hermitage Independent councillor Watson McAteer described the announcement as “fantastic news”.
He said: “This has been six years in the making. It’s a popular restaurant and people have been crying out for it and it is finally being delivered.
“The key thing for me is that not everybody might like McDonald’s, and that’s understood, but my belief is that this will encourage other businesses and chains to come to the town. It really is tremendous news.”
A report submitted with the original planning application stated: “The site is brownfield and was previously a working mill. The site remained occupied by mill buildings and the mill lade until the late 20th and early 21st centuries when the mill buildings were demolished and the mill lade was in-filled.
“Following this, the site was then occupied by a car showroom and builders’ yard, both of which are now demolished and the site has been cleared.
“The site is bound to the north-east by an Aldi supermarket and to the south-west of the site by a Sainsbury’s supermarket and petrol station.
“The proposed development of a new McDonald’s restaurant at Hawick will provide a range of economic benefits. The restaurant is expected to employ approximately 100 staff once the development is completed and operational, comprising approximately 70 full time equivalent job roles for local residents.
“The proposed development would bring significant economic and social benefits through job creation and training opportunities for residents. It would also provide a new local restaurant facility for residents, as well as provide a destination for employees of and visitors to neighbouring uses, including the Sainsbury’s and Aldi supermarkets, as well as from the wider town centre.”
The restaurant represents a potential £4m investment in the local economy and will contribute between £50k and £60k a year in business rates.
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