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McDonald's is closing all its restaurants in the UK and Ireland over the coronavirus outbreak.

The company plans to shut its branches by 7pm tomorrow, while also working with community groups to distribute food and drink in the coming days.

Bosses decided to close the restaurants because of concerns about 'safe social distancing' during takeaway and drive-thru collections.

The fast food chain plans to offer free food and drink to all frontline health and emergency service workers before the closures tomorrow evening.

It comes after the Government ordered restaurants, cafes, pubs and other public places to close in a bid to stem the spread of the disease.

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Paul Pomroy, chief executive officer at McDonald's UK and Ireland, said: "I am incredibly grateful to our brilliant employees who have been working hard to continue to serve you safely in difficult circumstances.

"Over the last 24 hours, it has become clear that maintaining safe social distancing whilst operating busy takeaway and Drive Thru restaurants is increasingly difficult and therefore we have taken the decision to close every restaurant in the UK and Ireland by 7pm on Monday 23 March at the latest.

"We have not taken this decision lightly and know that our restaurants have been playing an important role in the community providing hundreds of thousands of free drinks to frontline health and social workers and emergency services personnel.

(Image: PA)

"But I have been clear throughout this that we would only continue to operate whilst it was safe for our people and together with our franchisees, we feel now is the time to make this decision to temporarily close.

"We will be working closely with community groups across the UK and Ireland to distribute food from our restaurants to those most in need, and ahead of closing tomorrow evening, will ensure frontline health workers and emergency services personnel do not have to pay for any food or drink in our restaurants on sight of their work pass.

"I want to thank every single one of our 135,000 employees.

(Image: REUTERS)

"I am so proud of them all for adapting so quickly to a constantly evolving work environment, taking every step to keep our customers, couriers and teams safe and looking after each other so very well.

"We will continue to update you thorough our website, social media channels and email alerts in the coming weeks but in the meantime we thank you for your continued support and custom.

"Take care of one another in these unprecedented times, we look forward to seeing you again as soon as it is safe for us to reopen."

The fast food giant had closed the seating areas in its restaurants after the Government shut pubs, clubs, cafes and eateries on Friday.

However it continued its takeaway, drive-thru and McDelivery services.

Boris Johnson told the venues to shut "as soon as they reasonably can" as he acknowledged it was a "huge wrench" to close Britain's social venues.

The PM said nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms, and leisure centres had to close too.