Chick-fil-A, one the US’s largest chicken burger franchises, is under pressure to close its just-opened UK site.
In 2012, Chief Executive Dan Cathy confirmed that the company does not support same-sex marriage because it opposes the organisation's Christian values.
According to US news website Think Progress, the Chick-fil-A Foundation also donated millions of dollars in 2017 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Paul Anderson Youth Home, and the US Salvation Army. LGBT campaigners said all three organisations have a reputation of being hostile to LGBT rights.
Reading Pride stated, “The chain’s ethos and moral stance goes completely against our values, and that of the UK as we are a progressive country that has legalised same sex marriage for some years, and continues to strive towards equality.”
The company opened the Chick-fil-A at The Oracle shopping complex in Reading after testing the UK market with pop-ups in key cities.
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.'