Burger King apologises after vicar, 91, charged £2.20 for cup of water at Sheffield branch

Restaurant chain Burger King has apologised after a retired vicar was charged £2.20 for a cup of warm water at one of its Sheffield branches.
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Father Meedperdas Charles, 91, was ordered to pay after dropping into the Sheffield railway station with his daughter – and said: “This is the most costly cup of water I have had in any of the 32 countries I have visited in my life.”

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Retired vicar, 91, hits out at Burger King over £2.20 cup of water at Sheffield ...

But now the fast food firm had apologised, admitted its error and offered Father Charles a free hot drink to say sorry.

Burger King has apologised to Father Charles.Burger King has apologised to Father Charles.
Burger King has apologised to Father Charles.
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A spokesman said: “There was a charging error at our Sheffield railway station branch.

“We do not charge customers for hot water as standard.

“We'd firstly like to apologise, and as a gesture of goodwill offer the customer in question a free hot drink of their choice on us.”

Father Charles said: “My daughter ordered a cup of coffee and I was a bit thirsty and asked for some warm water to drink.

“I was given an insulated paper cup of warm water and was charged £2.20.

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Father Charles, who is also a retired headmaster who lives in Ringinglow Road, Bents Green, added: “It is better to warn people that they would pay £2.20 for a cup of warm water if they go to the Sheffield railway station Burger King cafe.

“Please bring this to the attention of the public!”

The Indian priest was born in Malaysia, brought up in Singapore, educated in India and Britain and became the first Asian vicar to be ordained in this country, moving here from Singapore in the fifties.

He moved to South Yorkshire and worked in Tankersley. A year later he moved to St Mary's at Worsborough then transferred to St Bartholomew's at Upperthorpe.

In 1979 he went to Endcliffe's Parish Church of St Augustine, where he stayed until his retirement.

He also worked in Birmingham for some years, helping to ease racial tension and became a regular figure on TV in the sixties and seventies appealing for an end to hostility.