SET in the leafy Surrey Green Belt, surrounded by grass and woods, and with an abundance of wildlife on its doorstep, McDonald’s in Earlswood is not your average fast food joint.
Housed in a former Victorian pub, the restaurant on Horley Road, a stone’s throw from East Hospital and the busy commuter town of Redhill, is visited by more than 640,000 hungry customers a year – as well as DEER and RABBITS.
Its picturesque setting and elegant façade, which boasts sash windows and an ornate white entrance porch, is a big draw for fans, with some dubbing it “Britain’s prettiest McDonald’s.”;
The locally-listed Reigate Stone building was constructed in the 1820s and originally home to the Prince Albert pub.
It then became a Mongolian barbecue restaurant, before transforming into a McDonald’s in the early 2000s.
In recent years the exterior has been restored to its former glory, with the original brickwork exposed, and there is also a tranquil outside patio area with wooden tables and chairs, overlooking a field and woods.
Even the iconic McDonald’s sign is in-keeping with the building’s historic roots as it hangs from the original pub signpost – and the drive thru has been sympathetically added with lots of green landscaping, where litter picks take place twice a day.
In contrast, the interior has been giving a slick modern makeover, with white tiles, black and white chairs and pops of yellow colour over the counter.
“The outside space is lovely in the and if you sit there long enough you can see a whole fields of rabbits,”; said local resident Mike Edwards.
“It’s very pleasant and calming. There is also a playground close by so I often used to bring my kids here for lunch, then take them to the playground.”;
A regular, who did not want to be named, said he had travelled all around the UK for work and thought it was the “prettiest”; McDonald’s.
“It’s in a perfect spot,”; he added.
Visiting the restaurant has become part of his morning routine for local, Lee Mason, from Redhill, who had popped in for a coffee with his dog Bodhi.
“I come here every morning and always look out for the deer and rabbits, which is a highlight, and the staff are lovely too.
“If I have Bodhi with me we sit outside, then go for a
walk,”; he said.
Mum Louise O’Doherty, from nearby Horley, who had stopped for breakfast with her two children Florence, six, and Toby, eight, said they visited frequently as it was their nearest McDonald’s.
She said: “It’s our local McDonald’s, so we come here frequently. We maybe take it for granted, but it’s lovely with all the green outside area.”;
Customer Geoff Neal, from Redhill, said the restaurant was “very picturesque”; and added: “In the summer a lot of people sit out on the grass.
“You don’t realise how close it is to a town and a major A&E hospital because it is so green.
“You get deer and rabbits here most days and the park is just nearby. It’s a more comforting environment than being in a high street.”;
McDonald’s Franchisee Mark Schweizer, who owns and operates the restaurant and another 17 in and around Surrey, said: “I’ve been the proud local owner of the Earlswood restaurant since 2021 and the building has undergone various improvements within that time.
“This includes restoring the exterior to its former glory, and reinvesting in the interior to help deliver a better experience for customers and crew as part of our Convenience of the Future
revamp programme.”;
