Pubs commit to changing names associated with racism and slavery

02 July 2020 by
Pubs commit to changing names associated with racism and slavery

Pubs with names associated with racism or the slave trade have started rebranding following weeks of Black Lives Matter protests.

The Colston Arms pub in Bristol, named after slave trader Edward Colston, has temporarily put a banner over its signage inviting suggestions for a new name, as well as a board saying: ‘We are listening. Black lives matter.'

Meanwhile, the Black Boy pub in Sevenoaks is set to be renamed the Restoration, to focus on its "potential connection with King Charles II".

Pub operator Shepherd Neame said in a statement: "After much deliberation, we have decided to seek consent from relevant authorities to change the name and provide new signage for the Black Boy in Sevenoaks. It was not a decision taken lightly, but we recognise that its current name is not potentially welcoming for all customers, and feel that it is the right thing to do."

The pub traces its history to 1616 and the name has been attributed to coal mining and chimney sweeps; John Morockoe, who worked at nearby Knole House during the reign of James I; and the nickname of King Charles II.

JD Wetherspoon said last month it was considering changing the name of its Elihu Yale pubs in Wrexham, as the 17th-century merchant and Yale University benefactor also oversaw the East India Company's slave trading activities.

And Greene King, which has 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels across the UK, also recently updated its website to reflect the history of its founder Benjamin Greene who, after founding the brewery in 1799, went on to own cane sugar plantations in the West Indies, where he was a slave owner.

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media Group is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking