Chick-fil-A to Close UK’s First Site After LGBT+ Backlash
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
US fast food chain, Chick-fil-A is due to shut its first and only UK restaurant following backlash from gay rights charity Reading Pride, who called for a boycott of the site over reports of the company donating to anti-LGBT+ organisations.
The site opened on the 10th of October in Reading’s Oracle shopping centre, but the lease will not be extended beyond its 6-month pilot period. The reason for staying open during this time period, however, is so that it can allow re-settlement and notice for employees that moved from other jobs – decided by The Oracle management.
The Oracle management stated that they will review their selection process and make sure a more intensive check is in place, to ensure this won’t happen again.
This boycott was not the first, though, as the company faced a boycott in the US (where it was founded in 1967 and runs over 2,000 North American sites) after the CEO made comments opposing same-sex marriage in 2012.