Greene King Pub named The Midget changes its name. What do people think?

daz2

Hi

A couple of months ago the press ran a story about a pub called The Midget in Abingdon in Oxfordshire and a petition demanding the pub change its name as its name, The Midget, was offensive. The pub was named after the classic MG EX 127 known as The Magic Midget. I saw today that Scope tweeted a story from the local paper saying that after 1000 signatures, Greene King who own the pub have agreed to change the name. However, below is a link to a story reporting that two counter petitions demanding the pub keep the name The Midget have also been set up, one of which has over 2400 signatures. What do people think, are Greene King correct to change the name or was the person who set-up the original petition demanding the name change overeacting?

Abingdon: 'Offensive' pub name change attracts new petitions | Oxford Mail

michael57

people are so sensitive nowadays i would of kept it the same and incorporated a nice picture of a mg midget car sorted

Jimm_Scope

I can understand where people are coming from on both sides. Certain words can carry negative connotations or continue negative stereotypes. Even if the meaning behind the name is not intended as an insult or slur it can still be an issue.

Of course the history and tradition can also be important. I did see this pub has only been around since the 1970s and has already changed its name once since.

To me that feels like it shouldn't be that much of a bother to pick a name that reflects the area and isn't also used as a derogatory term?

michael57

if you look on the oxford mail it shows the sign i honestly dont see a problem with it there is a picture of a car the mg midget not a car i ever liked myself but i dont hold that against them

michael57

i see there is a pub called the black boy not many miles from the the midget pub who are refusing to change there name as it was associated with a local racecourse also a nickname for king charles II given to him by his mother here ends the history lesson for today but food for thought should the black horse on Lloyds bank signs be piebald