Essex pub at centre of golliwog doll row closes
An Essex pub that is subject to a police investigation for its display of golliwog dolls on the premises has closed its doors, with the former leaseholders planning to retire.
The White Hart Inn in Grays closed this week after its doll display attracted national attention. Essex Police confiscated several dolls from the pub on 4 April following an allegation of a hate crime and the venue was subsequently vandalised and barred from featuring in the Campaign for Real Ale's (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide.
Landlady Benice Ryley told Thurrock Nub News that Carlsberg and Heineken had told the pub to stop selling their products, while Innserve had declined to attend the premises.
"It hurts. I've had 17 years of my life here… If people didn't like it they didn't have to come through my door," she told the publication.
"I feel gutted. Totally and utterly gutted… This is my life now that they've ruined because we've got a stigma with our name now and the pub," she said.
Essex Police said there was no further update on its investigations into the allegation of a hate crime and vandalism at the pub.
CAMRA national chairman Nik Antona said in a statement: "Following the announcement that the White Hart in Greys, Essex, has closed, CAMRA now hopes this heritage venue is preserved as a pub and will provide a warm welcome to all. We believe pubs are for everyone - there is never a place for discrimination.
"Previous Pub of the Year awards were removed due to displays which went against the Campaign's agreed national policies and values. The White Hart has also been removed from the current Good Beer Guide.
"CAMRA has an agreed policy that none of its 220 branches across the UK should grant awards to a pub which displays or promotes discriminatory items or materials, either in the venue or on social media accounts. "
He added that CAMRA would remove awards from any pubs, clubs, cider producers or breweries which operated "at odds with our values".
Antona said anyone aware of award winners who were in breach of the policy could contact CAMRA via its feedback and complaints form at: https://camra.org.uk/feedback-and-complaints/.
