The first U.K. branch of Chick-fil-A is set to close following a backlash over its owner's stance on LGBT rights. Chick-fil-A opened its first British franchise in Reading just over a week ago, but it has already revealed that the store is set to close in just six months, after protests over the company's opposition to gay marriage.
Reading Pride released a statement saying, "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."
Both chief executive Dan Cathy and his late father Samuel, who founded the chain in 1946, have publicly made donations towards anti-LGBT+ groups. Cathy has stated, "We're inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage."
After Chick-fil-A's opposition to same-sex marriage came to light a decade ago, the LGBT community began a series of boycotts, kiss-ins and same-sex marriages outside the franchise's restaurants across the U.S. The company is still struggling to expand further through America.
Rider University in New Jersey refused to allow a Chick-fil-A store on campus despite popular demand from students. San Antonio International Airport also removed the existing store from its expansion plans over controversy regarding the bigotry of the company's founders.
Samuel Cathy used Chick-fil-A profits to fund anti-gay charities including Exodus International, a group which promoted gay and transgender conversion therapy. His son Dan has also been accused of recently providing $1.9 million to the charity Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which opposes same-sex relationships.
The company tried to keep its bigotry out of the headlines by moving all charitable contributions to an external foundation. But the move failed to stifle the controversy, as Chick-fil-A's associated foundation continued to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to causes characterized as anti-gay.
The controversy has not just prompted protests in the U.K. and the U.S. The company had hoped to open three stores in Toronto to mark the chain's first international outlets. But last month a crowd of protesters swarmed one of the new Canadian stores on opening day, carrying placards that read 'Not In Our City, United Against Hate' as well as 'Hate Shouldn't Taste Great' and 'Cluck Off'.
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