French mayor wages campaign to counter McDonald's entry

It has created a "sustainable food zone" to counter the arrival of the American fast-food chain’s first eatery.

According to The Telegraph, Grégory Gendre, the Ecology Party mayor of Dolus-d’Oléron on the Oléron island has refused McDonald’s planning permission three times since 2014, on the grounds that he would rather defend local produce over American gastronomic imperialism.

But his battle has split the town, with around 150 people demonstrating in January for the right to eat fast food. With an appeals ruling in July pending, his camp launched a fresh act of resistance this weekend when around 200 locals created a “sustainable food zone” (“zone d’alimentation durable” in French) to cultivate local produce.