Met Police Warn Camden McDonald’s Sees Horrific Crimes Finchley Road 2026

Key Points:

• There have been formal objections from Metropolitan Police officers to a proposal allowing a McDonald’s on Finchley Road in Camden to extend its operating hours.
• It had already been approved by Camden Council in June 2025 to stay open till 1:00 am for walk-in customers and till 2:00 am for deliveries despite opposition from the police and residents.
• Criminal activity is reported to be a major concern with instances such as assault on a pregnant woman in December 2025 and an attack on an old customer.
• Police claim that the fast food place is having problems controlling violence even during day and night time.
• In order to address the public safety concerns, franchise operator Reema Mavani has taken steps like providing body cameras to night workers which the police believe are not enough.
• The matter will be considered by Camden Council’s licensing sub-committee on Thursday, September 17.

Finchley Road (North London News) September 15, 2026 – The Metropolitan Police has warned against extending hours for a McDonald’s on a busy Camden high street after a string of “horrific” crimes at the restaurant. In June 2025, Camden Council granted the fast food outlet on Finchley Road permission to stay open until 1am for customers and 2am for deliveries, despite opposition from locals and the Met that the burger restaurant was attracting crowds in the early morning hours.

Why are Metropolitan Police opposing extended operating hours at the Camden McDonald’s?

As reported by Josef Steen of MyLondon, Metropolitan Police licensing officers have raised severe concerns regarding public safety and violent crime linked directly to the Finchley Road premises. Local officers highlighted that the venue has become a focal point for late-night disorder, placing a significant strain on emergency services and local policing resources.

Police submissions to Camden Council detailed a series of violent incidents, including an assault on an elderly man outside the establishment in recent months, as well as an incident in December 2025 where three youths violently attacked a pregnant staff member. Officers noted that the branch appears to consistently struggle with managing violent crime and anti-social behaviour throughout both day and night shifts.

According to documentation cited by Josef Steen, PC Malone stated:

“The concern is that the venue struggles to deal with violent crimes throughout the day and night. Some of the crimes sound really horrific where even staff are assaulted or threatened.”

How has the franchisee responded to police concerns over violence and anti-social behaviour?

In response to police objections and licensing scrutiny, franchisee Reema Mavani submitted proposed safety measures intended to mitigate risks during late-night operational hours. Key proposals put forward by the franchise management include equipping shift managers and floor staff working in dining areas with body-worn cameras between 11:00 pm and 2:00 am.

However, Metropolitan Police representatives have indicated that these measure additions are insufficient to handle the volume and severity of crime occurring around the venue. Officers maintain that physical mitigation measures like body cameras do not adequately address the fundamental issue of late-night crowd gathering and opportunistic violent crime generated by late operations.

Background of safety and licensing issues at the Finchley Road branch

The conflict between local law enforcement, residents, and the fast-food branch follows a long history of severe criminal activity at the Finchley Road venue. The location has been targeted in multiple major violent crimes over the last two decades, including two separate armed robberies.

In 2008, a gang gained access to the premises via a fire exit, brandishing large swords while looting cash registers. The perpetrators were subsequently identified, convicted, and sentenced to a combined total of 16 years in prison.

In a separate major incident in 2011, three masked men entered the restaurant—one armed with a sawn-off shotgun—and carried out an armed hold-up while an accomplice waited nearby. All four individuals involved were eventually apprehended and jailed.

Tensions over operating hours resurfaced in June 2025 when Camden Council approved extensions allowing in-person customer service until 1:00 am and delivery fulfillment until 2:00 am. Local residents and policing teams opposed the variation at the time, arguing that extended hours would worsen existing anti-social behaviour patterns. The upcoming hearing before Camden Council’s licensing panel on Thursday, September 17, will assess whether the current licence terms should be restricted, maintained, or altered.

Impact prediction on local residents, businesses, and emergency services

If Camden Council decides to grant further extensions or uphold extended late-night hours, the decision could impact several key groups in the immediate area:

• Local Residents: Residents living along Finchley Road and surrounding side streets may experience heightened noise pollution, sustained anti-social behavior, and diminished safety late at night due to larger crowds lingering post-midnight.
• Restaurant Employees: Staff working late-night shifts face elevated personal safety risks, as evidenced by recent physical attacks on employees. While body cameras may provide evidence post-incident, they may not actively prevent violent flare-ups.
• Neighbouring Commercial Businesses: Surrounding traders and late-night commercial operators could face increased risk of spillover vandalism, property damage, or associated street disorder.
• Metropolitan Police Force: Sustained or expanded operational hours will likely require increased police presence and emergency call-outs to Finchley Road, diverting frontline resources from other policing priorities across the borough of Camden.