be shunted to a specially zoned area, according to the City's Mayor.

William Boyle came out against new fast food restaurants in Hamilton, backing his colleagues in St. George's who have vowed to fight franchises tooth and nail.

Yesterday Mr. Boyle said he was opposed to more US fast food franchises on grounds of traffic congestion, the fact that Hamilton had good Bermudian fast food shops and because they would hurt the Island's image.

"The feeling is that the Corporation of Hamilton would rather not see international fast food franchises in our city or Bermuda.

"If they cannot be stopped altogether, they should be in a zoned area where there could be requirements for off-street parking. It would help to protect Bermuda's image.'' The Corporation of Hamilton's move steps up the public controversy over fast food franchises which exploded when Government gave permission to Grape Bay Ltd. to bring in a McDonald's.

Former Premier Sir John Swan and his colleague Maxwell Burgess are behind the plans which are bitterly opposed by many Government backbenchers.

Last week the Corporation of St. George's said it would do everything in its power to stop fast food restaurants coming to the town.

It said it planned to raise the historic profile of the town and that a fast food restaurant would ruin its image.

Neither Corporation has the power to stop a fast food restaurant from opening, but they could try and put pressure on the Government to block the move.

Mr. Boyle said he was happy with "up-market'' franchises such as Benetton and Marks and Spencer as he felt they did not alter Bermuda's image.

He also pointed out that the Corporation already licensed four Bermudian fast food lunch wagons.

"We feel we have worked very hard on a certain image in the city and Bermuda and if we Americanise Bermuda we might as well be another part of the US.

Visitors should be able to look for something else,'' added Mr. Boyle.

"Our initial view is that we are against any new fast food restaurant, but should we be over-ruled, a franchise should go where it is specially zoned where it can be controlled.''