THERE are more than double the amount of foodbanks than McDonald’s restaurants in our city, research from the Glasgow Times can reveal.

The depressing statistic is made worse by the fact that Glasgow ranks as the UK’s third top city in third in terms of hosting most branches from the US chain.

It trails only behind London and Birmingham, with a total of 18 branches from the hugely popular restaurant within our city boundaries.

But we have identified at least 52 sites in our city - mainly foodbanks - providing essential items to those in dire need.

Fifteen of those are made up of Trussell Trust locations - a charity set up to end hunger and poverty in the UK.

Back in 2009, they only had one location in Scotland.

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Trussell Trust chief executive Emma Revie said: “Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and celebration – but for too many people it’s becoming harder and harder to keep their heads above water.

“Nine in 10 of us believe hunger in the UK is a problem – food banks cannot and should not have to continue to pick up the pieces.

“We know many people want to help their local communities at this time of year.

“It’s not right that anyone should have to use a food bank at any time of year – not just at Christmas.

“Our next government must start working towards a future where no one needs a food bank.

“It’s not inevitable that every Christmas we hear stories about families needing food banks.

“It’s in our power to reach a future where everyone has enough money for the basics. This can change.”

As made clear in our map, much of the city’s foodbanks (green) are located outside the city centre.

The Trussell Trust has five locations in the south west, five in the north east, three in the north west and two in the south east.

The remaining 37 locations are independently run groups across the city.

The figures are mirrored on a much larger scale across the whole of the UK – and have been verified by an independent fact-checking charity.

There are currently around 1300 McDonald’s outlets in the UK, while a House of Commons Library report suggests there are 2000 foodbanks currently operating – which is also considered to be an underestimate.

READ MORE: Glasgow Times readers help 5000 people with 'Bank On Us' foodbank campaign

We took to Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, outside the busy McDonald’s restaurant, to find out what the public thought of the shocking revelations.

Ricky Hart, a 34-year-old from the South Side, said the current situation in the city is “heart breaking”.

He added: “I think it is really tough, we’re an incredibly prosperous nation and should be able to support everyone regardless of where they fall in society.

“I think it is a really damning indictment of the fact from the top down how much we care about people, especially people that others view as not as worth as much as others.

“It’s one of the things that I’m very aware of, I’m quite lucky that myself and my partner are doing quite well, but we’ve donated quite a lot to both charities and foodbanks.

“We live in the south side and a couple of our local pubs all do big food bank drives but it’s something that 20 years ago, a private enterprise didn’t have to do and now it’s something that in order to make sure everyone over the festive period gets something that we’re having to do this.”

Maureen Sweeney, 53, added that food poverty is a “big issue” in the city.

She said the revelations were “not surprising”, adding “every street corner you go to there is homeless people around.

“It’s a big issue in Glasgow.

“I have to say, I think it’s good that the Glasgow people are pulling together and donating and putting on food banks for people, that’s a good thing.

“But we shouldn’t have to have them – not in this day and age.

“Sadly that’s just the way it is.”

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An emotional Andi Knight, 46, said it “breaks her heart” that people have to rely on food banks – especially at Christmas.

She said: “It is a disgraceful situation that we are in.

“I’m lucky that I’ve never had to use one but as a lone parent I could easily slip into that category.

“It’s not surprising that there are so many foodbanks, I used to work for a charity that dealt with giving advice to people on benefits and quite often we would have to help people get a referral to a food bank and that is a horrible thing to have to do for someone.

“You can hear in their voice they are destroyed by having to ask for someone to do that for them. It’s devastating.”