A recent political correctness scandal prompted a tongue in cheek re-brand of local pub names.
A request by animal rights group PETA for Britain’s oldest pub, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, to change its name to ‘Ye Olde Clever Cocks’ to show compassion for the animals resulted in a national outcry and numerous online parodies, including photos of St Albans pubs with a ‘PC’ re-brand.
Ricky Barnett, 51, of Marshalswick, posted the photos of pubs on the Facebook group St Albans Past and Present.
He said: “I got to thinking which other pubs in St Albans the PC brigade might be offended by, and quickly mocked up images renaming The Cock Inn to ‘The Old Chap’ and The Garibaldi to “Follically (sic) Challenged Gary.”
Most members of the group caught on to Ricky’s joke, but some didn’t quite get the comic nature of the pictures.
Ricky said: “The reaction to the renamed ‘The Cock Inn’ was quite surprising, with some people believing it to actually be genuine, posting some comments like ‘ridiculous’ and ‘shouldn’t have changed it’.”
But Ricky was keen to point out that animal rights are no laughing matter.
He added: “I think the whole story is hilarious, so long as nothing comes actually comes of it. I am very much against animal cruelty, but history is also important, if not only to remind us of how barbaric we used to be.”
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