Chick-fil-A will close its new restaurant in Reading, England, after facing fierce backlash from LGBTQ rights activists.
The news of Chick-fil-A closing its restaurant in The Oracle shopping center came Friday, only eight days after its opening.
“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,” The Oracle said in a statement, the BBC reported.
Chick-fil-A made headlines this spring after the left-wing ThinkProgress released a report saying the Chick-fil-A Foundation donated $1.8 million in 2017 to Christian and socially conservative groups with an alleged history of anti-LGBTQ bias.
The report renewed criticism of the fast-food chain that first started in 2012 after CEO Dan Cathy, a conservative Christian, revealed his disapproval of gay marriage.
The restaurant’s presence at The Oracle drew backlash from the local LGBTQ advocacy group Reading Pride, which cheered the shopping center’s decision but said protests would continue for the duration of Chick-fil-A’s lease, the BBC reported.
