UK's First Chick-fil-A Is Shutting Down After LGBTQ Protests

Fast-food chain Chick-fil-A recently opened its first restaurant in the UK just eleven days ago, but after a string of social media call-outs and protests by LGBTQ+ activists, the eatery is folding in less than six months. 

The restaurant was located in The Oracle, a shopping center in Reading, England. A spokesperson for the center says they will not be releasing the location to Chick-fil-A, so the restaurant will close after six months. "We always look to introduce new concepts for our customers," the spokesperson said according to HuffPost. "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."

Chick-fil-A has long-faced criticism from activists because of corporate donations to organizations that publically oppose LGBTQ+ rights. In 2012, the CEO of the company, Dan Cathy, said the chain was in "support of the traditional family," though the company publically maintains not to "have a political or social agenda."

"Our giving has always focused on youth and education," the company said in a statement to the BBC. "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."

Protestors aren't convinced. 

"The chain’s ethos and moral stance goes completely against our values," said Reading Pride, one of the vocal protestors of the restaurant, "and that of the U.K. as we are a progressive country that has legalized same-sex marriage for some years, and continues to strive towards equality.”