‘Chicken war’ breaks out in trendy Sydney suburb

A controversial proposal to build a KFC in a trendy Sydney suburb has sparked a heated ‘chicken war’ among locals.

A tense ‘chicken war’ is currently brewing in a trendy inner Sydney suburb.

King Street in Newtown is already home to five chicken outlets in a 100m radius: El Jannah Chicken, Broaster Chicken, Clem’s, Ogalo Newtown, and Gami Chicken.

Now, locals might be treated to one more.

KFC has unveiled plans to open a brand new restaurant in the middle of town, bumping the street’s chook shop count up to six.

While some are welcoming the fast food giant, others are fearing that Newtown’s eclectic charm and diverse character will instead be swallowed up by chicken outlets.

Locals are up in arms over the proposal for a new KFC. Picture: iStock

Local restaurant owners are feeling the pressure and have questioned whether there really needs to be six chicken stores on the same short stretch of street.

The head chef of iconic Italian restaurant La Favola, Fabio Stefanelli, said he has seen lots of chicken shops come and go over the years.

Due to the competition, he says he was forced to take chicken off his menu altogether.

“We need more diversity and variety, a mix of cuisines,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“But now when you walk down King St every second shop is a chicken shop.

“People want to come to Newtown because it’s supposed to be different and have variety but it’s become boring.”

King Street already has five other chicken shops within a 100m radius. Picture: A Current Affair

If the proposal goes ahead, the $638,000 KFC would open at the site previously occupied by Indian restaurant, Kammadhenu, opposite the popular Newtown Hotel pub.

It would also be situated just three doors down from Gami Chicken and Beer, a popular Korean fried chicken outlet.

According to planning documents lodged with the City of Sydney, the development would mean the current building would be adapted with new signage, kitchen spaces, a self-serve kiosk and seating.

“The activation of the currently vacant premises will contribute to the ongoing vibrancy, vitality and the economic and commercial longevity of the King Street Local Centre,” the application read.

Gami chicken shop owner Adnan Khalid is worried about the proposal. Picture: A Current Affair

“The premise is within an accessible area being located within 800 metres of Newtown Railway Station, situated along King Street regularly serviced by buses and within the vicinity of key community and social infrastructure.”

The proposed KFC would be open from 10am to 11pm on Sundays to Thursdays and 10am to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

“That’s a very scary sight for any small business operator,” Gami chicken shop owner Adnan Khalid, 49, told A Current Affair.

“Because they are so big the economies of scale is there, they can buy in big numbers and drop their prices … and then the little guy, they get him out and then their prices go up.”

The KFC would be at the site of an old Indian restaurant. Picture: City of Sydney

Independent advertising executive Karen Ferry said it was no shock that existing Newtown chicken shop owners were up in arms over the proposal.

“What KFC was probably thinking is there are a lot of people who are sustaining these brands, so they’re coming in where people are already looking for fried chicken or looking for fast chicken,” she told the program.

“They’re just making a market that’s essentially more competitive and trying to take away customers from these other five venues.”

Originally published as ‘Chicken war’ breaks out in trendy Sydney suburb