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Chick-Fil-a Is Closing Down Its First UK Branch After Protests From Gay Rights Groups

Cue American outage in 3, 2, 1...,

Just a week after opening, it's been announced that the UK's first Chick-fil-A will be shutting down.

The fast food restaurant set up shop in Reading last week and seemed to be off to a positive start with people queuing up to get a taste of the chain's famous chicken sandwich.

However, the Oracle Centre has faced pressured from gay rights campaigners and has decided not to extend the lease on the premises beyond the initial six-month period.

“ We always look to introduce new concepts for our customers, however, we have decided on this occasion that the right thing to do is to only allow Chick-Fil-A to trade with us for the initial six-month pilot period, and not to extend the lease any further," it said in a statement.

Chick-fil-A has been affiliated with an anti-LGBT agenda after reports that it donated millions of dollars to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Paul Anderson Youth Home, and The Salvation Army. The company maintains that this is not the case, saying, "There are 145,000 people - black, white; gay, straight; Christian, non-Christian - who represent Chick-fil-A."

Regardless, the restaurant is getting turfed out of its current home next spring, so if you want to sample some of its chicken, you'd better get a wriggle on. It's not clear if the company has plans to continue its UK expansion elsewhere, or pack up shop altogether.

Reading Pride has said that it will continue to protest the outlet as long as it remains at the Oracle Centre. [BBC News]

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by Anonymousreply 26October 23, 2019 8:56 AM

Nice! Thanks, UK activists!

by Anonymousreply 1October 18, 2019 4:04 PM

I always crave Chick-Fil-a and am ready to get some - On Sundays.

oh well.

by Anonymousreply 2October 18, 2019 4:07 PM

Oh well

by Anonymousreply 3October 19, 2019 5:30 AM

Is the chicken sandwich back yet at Popeyes?

by Anonymousreply 4October 19, 2019 5:34 AM

R4 girl please, just buy some brioche and cajun sauce to stick the chicken in, no need to be so desparate.

by Anonymousreply 5October 19, 2019 7:13 AM

R4 girl please, just buy some brioche and cajun sauce to stick the chicken in, no need to be so desparate.

by Anonymousreply 6October 19, 2019 7:13 AM

Huh?

by Anonymousreply 7October 20, 2019 3:46 AM

I dare anyone to ask about the religious objections to homosexuality at the falafel stands.

The fact that Shawarma restaurants are celebrated routinely, despite the fact that their religion demands the execution of anyone convicted of homosexual acts, makes this little piece of political theater even more disgusting.

by Anonymousreply 8October 20, 2019 4:24 AM

Do they refuse to serve gays ?

by Anonymousreply 9October 20, 2019 12:49 PM

good to see

by Anonymousreply 10October 20, 2019 1:10 PM

R8, Chick-Fil-A is a 10.5 BILLION dollar corporation actively spending some of that revenue on various politicians and political agendas to harm gays.

The owner of a falafel stand parks an old truck on the corner of a busy street and works 12 hours a day hawking wraps so he can go home and pay the rent. I’m pretty sure the last thing on his mind is sexual politics.

Get back to us when Chick-Fe-la-fel becomes a chain and has thousands of locations, is raking in BILLIONS of dollars and actively spending money on anti gay causes.

by Anonymousreply 11October 20, 2019 1:12 PM

This is this official thread on this story

by Anonymousreply 12October 20, 2019 6:29 PM

Bump

by Anonymousreply 13October 21, 2019 4:02 AM

It was a six month lease.

A test for international expansion.

The fact that it has been wildly popular doesn’t “fit the narrative”.

CFA will be as ubiquitous as McD’s in London by 2025.

by Anonymousreply 14October 23, 2019 5:23 AM

Good.

I'm amazed (not) that I already have R8 blocked.

by Anonymousreply 15October 23, 2019 5:27 AM

R15 can suck a falafel.

by Anonymousreply 16October 23, 2019 5:29 AM

If you read the story a little more closely the store closed because the managemetn wouldn't renew the lease

by Anonymousreply 17October 23, 2019 5:34 AM

Companies expanding internationally don’t sign ten year lease agreements.

Do you honestly believe that EVERY company in London is going to refuse their lease?

by Anonymousreply 18October 23, 2019 5:39 AM

May be, r14, but I've noticed a sterility in these American transplants. Shake Shack, Five Guys, all soulless money making enterprises.

Macdonald's have been in the process of softening their restaurants; it works. And we also don't know they gave money to gay conversion therapy groups or oppose gay marriage. We should have higher standards in the West.

by Anonymousreply 19October 23, 2019 5:41 AM

Yes, r17. They didn't want the heat.

Reading is not London, R18. I, for one, will never set foot in a business so against my very being.

by Anonymousreply 20October 23, 2019 5:44 AM

if you want to ensure your money does not go to hate groups, eat at a mom and pop restaurant. They have no money to fund anyone except their own family, a small family size too.

by Anonymousreply 21October 23, 2019 5:45 AM

Chick a hate is easy to boycott.

by Anonymousreply 22October 23, 2019 5:54 AM

....

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by Anonymousreply 23October 23, 2019 6:20 AM

I don't get it, I think they're food is terrible, and not just because it's fast food. The one time I ate there I thought the chicken was tasteless and the less said about those awful waffle fries, the better.

by Anonymousreply 24October 23, 2019 6:22 AM

Oh dearing myself at r24

by Anonymousreply 25October 23, 2019 6:23 AM

the food is pretty bad.

by Anonymousreply 26October 23, 2019 8:56 AM
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