In a twist thick with irony, McDonald’s has made a surprise return to Paisley – not to reopen a long-lost restaurant, but to film their latest advert.
Eagle-eyed locals spotted a film crew setting up outside a very familiar spot a few weeks ago: the former McDonald’s on Paisley High Street, which closed its doors back in 2017. At the time, the company released a statement saying, “We can confirm that McDonald’s has taken the decision to close the restaurant on Paisley High Street.” And that, it seemed, was that.
But fast-forward seven years, and the fast-food giant was back – if only for a fleeting moment and a carefully framed camera shot. The choice of location raised eyebrows and a few chuckles locally, given it was McDonald’s themselves who abandoned the premises in the first place.
While the inside of the building remains shut and boarded up, the exterior once again served as a backdrop for the brand, this time dressed up to evoke the atmosphere of an urban high street scene. Whether the irony was intentional or just a strange coincidence, it certainly didn’t go unnoticed.
It’s not every day a big-name brand circles back to a place they once vacated – especially not just to use it as a film set. But perhaps Paisley still has something McDonald’s can’t quite shake, even if it’s just the right look for a few seconds of national airtime.
One thing’s for sure: the cameras might have rolled, but the fryers remain cold.
Paisley Photographs 