UK's first Chick-fil-A store to close in LGBT rights row
 

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A US fast-food chain will cease trading at its first UK outlet amid a row over donations to anti-LGBT groups.

Gay rights campaigners called for a boycott of Chick-fil-A, which opened its first branch at The Oracle shopping centre in Reading on 10 October.

A spokeswoman for the centre said "the right thing to do" was to not extend the restaurant's lease beyond the "six-month pilot period".

Chick-fil-A said its donations were purely focused on youth and education.

The family-owned company, founded in Atlanta in 1967, is one of the biggest fast-food chains in the USA and boasts about 2,400 outlets across North America.

According to US news website Think Progress, in 2017 the Chick-fil-A Foundation donated millions of dollars to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Paul Anderson Youth Home and the Salvation Army.

Campaigners from LGBT organisation, Reading Pride, said all three organisations have a reputation of being hostile to LGBT rights.

In 2012, the company's chairman sparked a US boycott when he said he opposed gay marriage.
Campaign continues

The Oracle said: "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."

Reading Pride said The Oracle's decision was "good news", adding the six-month period was a "reasonable request... to allow for re-settlement and notice for employees that have moved from other jobs".

But the organisation said it would continue to campaign against the outlet until it left.

Chick-fil-A had previously told the BBC: "Our giving has always focused on youth and education. We have never donated with the purpose of supporting a social or political agenda.

"There are 145,000 people - black, white; gay, straight; Christian, non-Christian - who represent Chick-fil-A."

BBC News

shame x

One thing is to be against the owner for the things he said but I dont see how people can be defended for actively tey to get innocent people to lose their jobs

ooo their stuff is delicious, hope one opens near me :D

Was only ever a trial period for the store, and the company blew it by being ****bags :shrug:

Still innocent people are out of a job and I bet you a tenner they would have extended the contract had people not complained.

Every needs to understand there is a ripple effect that hurts innocent people

How desperate would you have to be to eat there? Reading...I mean, c'mon.

You support brexit.

You mean like the people in Uganda affected by the anti-LGBT laws that Chick-fil-A help to fund via the NCF? Those innocent people? Or just the ones who are going to be out a job that they've had for a whole *checks notes* week?

Like say, if a bit company donates to anti-LGBT charities?

It's because The US need to take legal action against stuff like that

it's only been open for 8 days :skull:

Get rid of the bigots.

They can go and expand in Uganda or Saudi

Never leave us again

KFC will do for me.

did anyone even ask for it? we have plenty of **** fast food places

And they kill baby chicks

WHAT Do you think KFC is ? TOFU ??? :idc:

Only fully grown chickens are used for meat

I’m a terrible gay because I love eating at Chick-Fil-A

Its in a Reading
Shopping Centre
they want it to stay there.

BBC London News