…By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
Benice Ryley and her husband Chris, the landlady and landlord of White Hart pub in Grays, have decided to retire and close the pub’s doors.
The decision came after the pub was at the centre of a racism row when Essex Police confiscated its golly dolls on display behind the bar on April 4.
The dolls are based on 18th-century minstrels and are now regarded as racist caricatures.
The confiscation was part of an investigation into an allegation of hate crime.
Heineken and Carlsberg had also asked the pub to stop serving its lager, while maintenance company Innserve refused to continue working on site.
Furthermore, Campaign for Real Ales (Camra) banned the pub from being considered for any awards, stating that it would not include it in its Good Beer Guide “while these discriminatory dolls continue to be on display.”
Ms Ryley, who has been running the pub for 17 years, said that she was “angry and upset” and had been “crying all week” after having her windows smashed and “racist” scrawled on her walls.
She blamed someone on Reddit for “starting it all again”, adding that it was her collection, some of which were antiques.
She said, “I want them back. This is my life now that they have ruined.
We have a stigma about our name now and our pub.” Ms Ryley also said that young people do not understand where the gollys originate from.
The dolls created by American-British cartoonist and author Florence Kate Upton began appearing in children’s books in the 19th century.
The physical dolls became popular in Britain in the 1970s but later came to be considered a racist caricature of black people.
Admiral Taverns, the company which owns the pub building, said that they will be looking to reopen the pub under the management of new licensees.
No arrests have been made in connection with the alleged hate crime.
Analysis and Commentaries
This news article reports on the decision made by the landlady and landlord of White Hart pub to retire and close the venue’s doors after being at the centre of a racism row.
The controversy started when Essex Police confiscated the pub’s golly dolls on display, which are now regarded as racist caricatures.
The dolls were created by Florence Kate Upton in the 19th century and became popular in Britain in the 1970s.
However, they later came to be considered a racist caricature of black people.
The news article highlights the consequences of displaying offensive objects in public places, such as pubs.
It also shows how these actions can cause public outrage and result in negative consequences for the individuals and companies involved.
In this case, the pub was banned from being considered for any awards by Camra, Heineken and Carlsberg asked the pub to stop serving their lager, and Innserve refused to continue working on site.
It is also interesting to note the landlady’s view that young people do not understand where the gollys originate from.
This highlights the importance of education on the history and cultural significance of objects that may have a controversial past.
It also shows how attitudes towards such objects can change over time and that what may have been acceptable in the past can now be considered offensive.
In conclusion, this news article highlights the consequences of displaying offensive objects in public places and how attitudes towards these objects can change over time.
It also emphasises the importance of education on the history and cultural significance of such objects.