Plans have been submitted to transform Lord Street
The Lord Street arcade building in Liverpool city centre(Image: Liverpool Echo)
American fast food giant Chick-fil-A has submitted a planning application to open a restaurant in Liverpool city centre. Despite operating fewer outlets than rivals like McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King, the company is one of North America’s largest and most fast food chains.
In 2024, the Atlanta-based firm said it was in “the process of selecting operators” for four UK cities – with the aim of opening five restaurants within two years. The UK cities in the mix were London, Leeds, Belfast and Liverpool, with chief international officer Anita Costello, stating “serving communities is at the heart of everything” the company does.
Chick-fil-A has now submitted a planning application to occupy a unit on Lord Street. The proposal would see the fast food company move into the Grade-II listed 81-89 building that once held Lord Street Arcade.
The proposals include the installation of a new shopfront and associated signages on the Lord Street elevation, external alterations and associated signage on the rear elevation front onto Button Street.
Scaffolding is erected on the old arcade building on Lord Street in Liverpool(Image: Liverpool Echo)
The shopfront would mostly comprise of glazing panels with frosted vinyls and St Bees red sandstone blockwork and red adonised aluminium cladding framing.
Two fully glazed entrance doors would be situated at either end of the shopfront. Three internally illuminated signs are proposed, including the letting “Chick-fil-A”.
The chain already has more than 3,000 outlets across North America, Puerto Rico and Canada, but the UK branches will be the first elsewhere in the world.
This isn’t the company’s first time trying to break into the UK, with Chick-fil-A having short-lived branches previously in Reading, Berkshire and the Scottish Highlands.
The chain found itself embroiled in controversy after it was claimed its founders were supporters of anti-LGBT+ organisations, and boycotts and protests followed.
This, however, is a claim the company has since denied, citing the money donated was “never donated with the purpose of supporting a social or political agenda”, but rather to fund sports programmes in deprived areas.
Chick-fil-A has set its sights on Liverpool(Image: Publicity Picture)
With this in mind, the ECHO previously asked Chick-fil-A how it planned to fit in with the city’s vibrant and historic queer community. A spokesperson confirmed the company was working to “engage with the local community in Liverpool” to ensure it gets it right.
They added: “We welcome guests from all backgrounds and we aim to have a positive impact on the communities we serve. We’re to meet with various community groups so that we can provide an inclusive place for everyone.”
It has been reported the Chick-fil-A Foundation donated almost £1.9m to a group that opposed marriage equality for homosexual couples and within years, this number allegedly almost doubled. After fulfilling its multi-year deal, the company confirmed to the ECHO it no longer donates to this particular organisation.
The Lord Street arcade building in Liverpool city centre(Image: Liverpool Echo)
The firm was founded by Samuel Truett Cathy in 1946 and has been managed by the family ever since, as reported by the BBC. A policy change in 2020 saw the group appoint its first head of diversity and in light of this, saw its approach to charitable giving change with more focus on education and hunger alleviation taking place.
However, the family’s Christian values still take precedence with restaurants remaining closed open on Sundays, so employees can attend church. This policy will also apply in the UK when the time comes.
In announcing its UK investment, the chain pledged a one-off donation of $25,000 to a local non-profit organisation when the chain restaurant successfully opens in the city. It also said it would continue with its donations of surplus food to local shelters, soup kitchens and food charities.