Thousands petition to keep pub’s name after row erupts over ‘hate speech’

Thousands of radical person signed a counter-petition to support an Oxfordshire pub’s sanction the aforesaid aft complaints it was offensive.

The Midget, a Greene King pub successful Abingdon, was named aft the MG Midget EX 127 car erstwhile manufactured successful the town.

A petition started by Dr Erin Pritchard, a disability lecturer astatine Liverpool Hope University, who has dwarfism, received 1,300 signatures. But a counter-petition to reconstruct the archetypal sanction has present received enactment from 3,000 people.

Last week, Greene King said the pub, which opened successful 1974, said it would adjacent for a ‘six-figure’ refurbishment and reopen successful December arsenic the Roaring Raindrop, different historical MG car.

Counter-petition creator Joe Lawlor called the determination ridiculous and said the pub’s sanction is simply a portion of history.

‘I’m definite a batch of radical volition disagree with this decision, and successful my sentiment I deliberation it is ridiculous,’ helium wrote online.

‘The naming is portion of Abingdon’s history.’

In the archetypal petition, Dr Pritchard 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.’

Speaking astir the refurb and sanction change, Zoe Bowley, managing manager of Greene King pubs, said: ‘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.

‘This truly helped america to spot that the caller sanction needed to wage tribute to different icon of Abingdon and proceed to archer the important communicative that the MG mill played successful the town.’

She said the Greene King was grateful to Dr Pritchard ‘who has engaged with (the chain) connected the offence and wounded the sanction ‘Midget’ tin cause.

‘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.’

Andy Knott, MG Car Club manager, said: ‘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.’

Nicknamed the Magic Midget and built astatine the town’s erstwhile MG factory, the car broke the satellite onshore velocity grounds of 120mph successful 1932. 

The MG EX 181 Roaring Raindrop, meanwhile, broke a onshore velocity grounds successful 1957, portion driven by Sir Stirling Moss.

It past bushed its ain record, erstwhile different effort was made by American Phil Hill successful 1959.

This communicative was primitively reported connected 8 November 2024.

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