KFC Branch in UK City Imposes Under-18 Ban

April 14, 2016

Unlocking Word Meanings
 今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 


1. premises / ˈprɛm ɪs əz / (n.) – the area occupied by a building 
Example: The police searched the mall’s premises.

2. takeaway / ˈteɪk əˌweɪ / (n.) – food bought from a restaurant but to be eaten elsewhere
Example: They eat takeaways from KFC whenever they can’t cook dinner.

3. chaos / ˈkeɪ ɒs / (n.) – a state of confusion and disorder
Example: The explosion was followed by chaos.

4. supervision / ˌsu pərˈvɪʒ ən / (n.) – the act of watching and directing another person’s actions
Example Minors still need parental supervision.

5. intervene / ˌɪn tərˈvin / (v.) – to get involved in a situation to influence its outcome
Example: Their friends intervened to prevent their fight from getting worse.

Article
 ニュース記事

Read the text below.
A KFC branch in the United Kingdom has issued a ban on customers under 18, following cases of violence involving minors in the area.

The Meir Park [mey-EERbranch in Staffordshire [STAF-erd-sheer] will allow under-18s to eat within the store’s premises only if they are accompanied by an adult. Otherwise, they would only be allowed to enter to order takeaways. The ban was a response to recent incidents of violence and chaos involving minors in Meir. The policy, however, does not affect other KFC branches.

KFC was the second fast food chain in the area to impose a ban on minors without adult supervision. Prior to KFC, McDonald’s Meir Park issued a similar policy days after a gang war involving 24 minors took place near their restaurant. Because of the brawl’s severity, the police had to intervene by sending armed officers and even a helicopter to control the situation. The incident resulted in the arrest of eight minors and the recovery of two air firearms.

KFC Meir manager Liam Dalgarno said that aside from being involved in violent fights, some minors in the area also exhibit rowdy behavior within the store’s premises, which scares its staff. He said that the new policy has helped the staff feel safer at work.

Dalgarno added that the community’s locals have also given their support to the policy. For instance, Janet Bellis, the community association chairperson, believes the policy will make   minors more accountable for their behavior. However, some residents have woes about the situation. A mother expressed disappointment when her 17-year-old was not allowed to enter McDonald’s because of the policy.


Viewpoint Discussion
 ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         What is your opinion on the fast food restaurants’ policy to ban minors?
·         What are the possible effects of the policy on the two restaurants’ operations?

Discussion B
·         Aside from banning people with disorderly behavior, what could establishments do to maintain order and safety?
·         What would you do if you encountered troublesome people in a public place?

April 14, 2016