A UK pub that was reported for hate crimes before having its 20-strong golliwog collection seized by police has been banned by the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA)from receiving any awards or being featured in its Good Beer Guide.
Owners of The White Hart Inn will also reportedly be probed by police regarding far-right Facebook posts after license holder Christopher Ryley appeared to joke about lynchings in the US alongside an image of the dolls.
In a 2016 Facebook post, Ryley uploaded an image of the dolls hanging from the pub’s bar with the caption: “We have our golliwogs, yaay.”
Commenting underneath the post, his wife, Benice Ryley, asked: “Are you sure this is legal. lol” before Ryley replied: “They used to hang them in Mississippi years ago.” She responded: “Behave.”
Essex police confiscated the dolls over the Easter bank holiday weekend after receiving a complaint about an alleged crime. The pub’s landlords then shocked the public by replacing the offensive dolls with other golliwogs they had in their collection.
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Now, CAMRA has released a statement saying it found it “baffling” that the pub – which had previously won the South West Essex Camra Pub Of The Year awards – had chosen to display the dolls which are “offensive to many.”
In a thread of tweets, it then added it had instructed its South West Essex local “not to consider the White Hart, Grays, Essex, for future awards, or inclusion in our Good Beer Guide, while these discriminatory dolls continue to be on display”.
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It also revealed it had added a line to the entry in its current guide describing the pub, which said: “Note this pub has chosen to display items that are considered by many to be offensive.”
It continued: “We have had clear national guidelines in place since 2018 that no pub should be considered for an award if it displays offensive or discriminatory material on the premises, or on social media associated with the pub.
CAMRA believes pubs should be welcoming and inclusive places and it's baffling that any pub would choose to discriminate against customers or potential customers by continuing to display offensive material. 🧵👇
“We are currently discussing why this guidance was seemingly ignored by our South West Essex branch & instructing them not to consider the White Hart, Grays, Essex, for future awards, or inclusion in our Good Beer Guide, while these discriminatory dolls continue to be on display.”
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However, Mr Ryley in response told the BBC that “a mountain has been made out of a molehill,” claiming that the pub had received more support than abuse and was “still open and trading”, whilst Beth Ryley revealed that she had displayed the dolls in the pub for around a decade.
Other Facebook posts of concern from Mr Ryley also show him posting support for ‘White Lives Matter’ and asking ‘When is White History Month please. Anybody know?’
In another post, a golliwog has been uploaded alongside the caption: ‘Hello Great Britain Am I Allowed Back In?’
To date, no one has been arrested or charged by police in connection with the investigation but The Guardian understands that officers intend to question landlord Chris when he returns from the family’s home in Turkey next month.
It is believed the investigation is currently looking at whether there was an intention to cause offense by displaying the dolls, with another line of inquiry investigating if Ryley’s Facebook posts contravene the 1988 Malicious Communications Act.
What is the UK’s national dish? New survey reveals Brits’ pick in landslide victory
Emily Sergeant
If you’ve ever thought to Google the question ‘what is Britain’s national dish?’, then you probably came away thinking it’s chicken tikka masala.
But is that actually the truth? A new survey has disproved the claim, massively.
There’s no denying that chicken tikka masala – an Indian curry that’s actually widely thought to have been created in Britain – is a popular dish that’s loved by many, but despite what many headlines have claimed over the years, a new YouGov survey has revealed it’s not what Brits consider to be the country’s ‘national dish’.
YouGov conducted two online surveys earlier this month, made up of 2,079 and 2,104 adults aged 18+ living in Great Britain.
And, in their own words, Brits chose fish and chips as the country’s national dish, making it the ‘resounding’ winner with 49% of the vote.
What is the UK’s national dish? A new survey has revealed Brits’ pick in a landslide victory / Credit: The Manc Group
With nearly half of the overall vote, this puts fish and chips far ahead of the roast dinner in second place, which only 24% of people picked – including the 6% who made sure to specify a beef roast.
In fact, only 3% of Brits actually name chicken tikka masala as the UK’s national dish, although 52% in the survey did confess that they eat some form of curry at least once a month, so it is still a popular pick regardless.
Fish and chips is by far the most common answer across all generations too, according to the survey (45-50%), with the biggest difference between age groups being that 18-24 year olds are less likely to have nominated roast dinner and more likely to have chosen chicken tikka masala instead.
What do Brits say is the UK’s national dish?
Fish and chips – 49%
Roast dinner – 24%
Chicken tikka masala – 3%
Curry (non-specific) – 2%
Full English breakfast – 2%
Bangers and mash – 1%
Cottage or shepherd’s pie – 1%
Other – 3%
Don’t know – 15%
The survey also showed that, of the three top contenders for the UK’s national dish, roast dinners are the most frequently eaten, as 52% of people said they eat them on a monthly basis – including 16% who do so every week.
Aside from the frequently mentioned dishes, some survey respondents also gave shoutouts to the full English breakfast (2%), bangers and mash (1%), and cottage or shepherd’s pie (1%).
What do you think then? Do you agree with the survey’s findings? Or would you have picked something else instead?
Featured Image – Raman SQC (via Unsplash)
Food & Drink
First look inside Social Osteria, Stockport’s buzzy new Italian restaurant
Lydia Mastrolonardo
That’s right Stopfordians – we’re gaining yet another brand new addition to our town’s blooming food and drink scene, as Social Osteria opens its doors at Weir Mill.
It’s safe to say we’re in good hands, with the geniuses behind The Social Trattoria, named best Trattoria at the Italian Awards UK 2025, being the ones to bring this new taste of Italy to South Manchester.
Just because we are no longer experiencing the weather to match an Italian summer, doesn’t mean we can’t continue eating like we’re there.
Social Osteria can now be found overlooking the River Mersey, as a beautiful 2,000 sq ft space within the buzzing new canalside development, fully equipped with the classic exposed red brickwork, vaulted ceilings and even the restored original kiln.
As you approach the restaurant, you are greeted by a sunken courtyard and riverside seating, making for the perfect alfresco dining spot, when the warmer weather finally rolls back around.
With the meaning of Osteria being an Italian tavern, for locals to gather and enjoy each other’s company, good wine and honest, flavourful food – the team have stayed true to the name. You can expect dim, ambient lighting, an open kitchen, fresh small plates, flavourful 48-hour pizzas, and traditional pasta.
Vibrant dishes at Social Osteria in Stockport. Credit: The Manc Group
This glamorous new restaurant is promising a spectacular menu, from cacio e pepe butter beans to guanciale topped pizzas and their very own slow-cooked beef shin and pork shoulder paccheri ragu, you know we’re in the right place.
With Italian food running in the family, the team’s cooking practices are rooted in traditional methods, passed down through the generations and then presented to us, with the freshest of ingredients.
It suits Capital&Centric, who’ve taken the same approach to Weir Mill itself – embracing the character of the historic mill whilst transforming it into a vibrant community, for generations to come.
Inside Social Osteria at Weir Mill. Credit: The Manc Group
Set below Stockport’s iconic viaduct, the £60m neighbourhood is now home to 253 apartments alongside bustling cafés, wine bars and stunning restaurants akin to Social Osteria, accompanied by plenty of outdoor seating, green spaces, and riverside viewpoints.
Where Osteria Social now calls home is part of Stockport’s £1 billion Town Centre West masterplan, adding to the town’s growing reputation as one of the best locations to live in the UK.
Social Osteria will officially open Thursday 22 October, at Weir Mill. Be sure to book your tables early as we fear this one might get a little booked up.
Georgina Pellant -
14th April 2023 
