There has been a mixed reaction among parents to a proposed ban on new fast food outlets opening near schools.

A motion was passed last Thursday (March 19) by Redbridge council to look into the ban, which was previously introduced in neighbouring Waltham Forest in an atteempt to combat childhood obesity.

Redbridge council figures show one in four children in the borough were classed as obese last year and the policy would ban any new takeways within a 400m radius of schools.

The Guardian spoke to parents this morning outside Churchfields School in South Woodford and heard a wide range of opinions on the plans.

Chris Holt, of St Albans Road, Woodford Green, has a five-year-old daughter at the school.

The 43-year-old said: “I am totally behind this as it is wrong to expose children to bad food which should not be part of their lives.

“These takeaways wrongly target children, they are brightly coloured places and it is an attempt to lure them in.

“It is cheap and bad quality food and I support any attempt to control their numbers around schools.”

David Gould, 57, lives off Broomhill Walk in Woodford Green and has a seven-year-old daughter at Churchfields.

He said: “I agree that something should be done about takeaways around schools but I don’t think it will have an effect.

“Teenagers at Woodbridge High and other secondaries are going to seek out these places and head down to George Lane instead of here.

“They are not thinking of health at that age and if you close one they will just head to another.”

Michael Chukwuma has an 11-year-old girl and two boys, aged eight and six, at Churchfields.

The 42-year-old, of Buckingham Road, South Woodford, said: “I don’t support it at all.

“Instead of banning them the council should be putting its efforts into educating kids into the dangers of junk food, and it is the parents’ responsibility too.

“In any case children can just go to Tesco where they can buy junk food anyway.”

Redbridge council is due to investigate further into how it can implement the policy into its planning framework. 

Wei Lin, manager of the South Woodford branch of chinese takeaway Oriental Chef in the High Road, said that takeaways were being unfairly targeted by the council.

He said: "I am against this move by the council because it is saying that all takeaways are unhealthy and negative for children.

"I don't think this is true because we offer healthy food with vegetables in many of our dishes.

"Takeaways are not causing obesity and this ban will not have any effect."