This might sound like a stupid question, but can someone please explain to me why it's a bad idea to have a large fast food chain in town?

I'm neither for, nor against, a McDonalds, Hungry Jacks, KFC, Red Rooster or whatever setting up shop in Port Douglas, and I'm prepared to be convinced either way.

The passion this issue arouses in people is enormous, and I can see their point to a degree - inviting in a franchise does take us a step closer to becoming like most other towns in the known world. Whether that in itself is a bad thing is another issue.

But I'm not sure all the blame can be placed squarely on the shoulders of one business.

In Torquay in Victoria, a once cruisy little surfing town, a fight to keep McDonalds away was lost. The town now appears to have an overdeveloped commercialised landscape, unrecognisable from its character filled "hay-day."

But is it McDonalds' fault, or the fault of a Council which let development run rampant with huge housing estates bought up by Melbourneites all eager for a piece of coastal living (yes I'm aware Melbourne is on the coast but you get my drift)?

We've have had, and still do have franchises and outlets of large companies in our town. Target Country, Rivers, Brumby's, Wendy's, Coles, Shell, Mobil, Flight Centre, Jetset, Liquourland, the list goes on.

I'm told the marina was full of chain/franchise stores in its early days; Louis Veitton and Ralph Lauren as an example. Are they more acceptable because of the price tags their products carry?

Where is the line drawn? Is Subway acceptable? There are plenty of empty shops that could be filled with Starbucks.

Perhaps we're holding on to the past when the super-rich were as thick on the ground as the leaves on Macrossan Street.

Based on this, I just don't really get why fast food from large chains leaves a bad taste in people's mouths (apart from the obvious reason) given that I'm sure they could fit into the streetscape requirements already in place.

We do, of course, have a number of small businesses who fill this market already. These types of outlets are popular with families who may not be able to afford to eat at our restaurants, so why not give them more of what they're after?

The threat of Colonel Gaddafi is gone, but will the town once again be under attack at the hands of the evil Colonel Sanders?

Are you for or against big fast food chains coming to Port Douglas? Have your say below. 

Cheap, easy, and lasts longer. Check out The Newsport Classifieds.