Greene King pub forced to change historic name as people say it's offensive

The Midget Pub, Abingdon (Image: The Midget Pub Abingdon/Facebook)

A pub named aft an iconic British car has been forced to alteration its sanction - due to the fact that radical accidental it is offensive.

The Midget successful Oxfordshire came nether occurrence aft a lecturer with dwarfism said its sanction was violative and launched an online petition to rename it - rapidly garnering 500 signatures with the fig contiguous lasting astatine implicit 1,300.

The pub, portion of the nationwide Greene King concatenation and recovered successful the municipality of Abingdon adjacent Oxford, is present acceptable to acquisition a six-figure refurbishment from the franchise. 

It was antecedently claimed that the pub was named The Magic Midget, aft the MG EX 127 car, built by the town’s erstwhile MG mill and nicknamed the Magic Midget. The car broke the satellite onshore velocity grounds of 120mph successful 1932. 

But its branding was changed to simply The Midget successful 2002. It was claimed this was a notation to the information MG went connected to nutrient a wider scope of ‘Midget’ models of car.

It volition present beryllium called The Roaring Raindrop, aft different MG car which was built to effort the onshore velocity grounds successful the fifties.

The pub was opened successful 1974 (Image: The Midget Pub Abingdon/Facebook)

The pub has been unfastened since 1974 disconnected Preston Road successful the town. Work connected its refurb volition statesman aboriginal this month.

Dr Erin Pritchard, a elder lecturer successful Disability Studies astatine Liverpool Hope University, launched the petition demanding the sanction beryllium changed arsenic it was deemed violative to immoderate people.

They said Greene King "should recognise the offence of the word and its implications".

Dr Pritchard, who spoke with Greene King astir the matter, said: “The word midget is simply a signifier of disablist hatred speech, which I and astir different radical with dwarfism, person experienced arsenic a signifier of bullying, including having it shouted astatine america by strangers.

"It is simply a word that should beryllium consigned to the past books.”

The Roaring Raindrop was the past ever grounds breaking EX 181 car from MG built successful Abingdon, and was driven by the iconic Sir Stirling Moss successful 1957. 

Sir Stirling Moss acceptable a onshore velocity grounds of 245.6mph implicit a region of 1km astatine the Bonneville Salt Flats successful Utah, USA earlier the car past broke its ain grounds of 254.9mph successful 1959.

Zoe Bowley, managing manager of Greene King pubs, said: “I’m delighted that we’re investing specified a important sum successful bringing a caller lease of beingness to this existent assemblage pub successful its 50th year.

“Pubs are astatine the bosom of communities and are each astir bringing radical together. I would similar to convey the MG Car Club for welcoming america into their office successful Abingdon to explicate the past of some cars and their value to the area.

"We anticipation that making the alteration successful this mode helps to sphere our pub’s historical links to Abingdon’s past portion simultaneously ensuring our pub tin beryllium a spot wherever everyone feels welcome.”

The Midget pub is owed to reopen successful December with a caller sanction (Image: Greene King)

The caller sanction was worked connected by the MG Car Club, which is based successful the town's Cemetery Road.

Andy Knott, MG Car Club manager, said: “Working with Greene King has been fantastic. For the MG Car Club, it was indispensable to sphere the pub’s transportation to the marque.

"With MG moving to Abingdon successful 1929 and gathering iconic cars for 50 years, it’s go a important portion of the town’s history. The sanction MG inactive draws thousands of enthusiasts to Abingdon each year.

“EX 181, known arsenic The Roaring Raindrop, marked MG Abingdon's last foray into grounds breaking successful 1959."