Licensee slams planned protest by ‘aggressive’ animal rights activists outside his pub

Alvin Michaels, of the Bricklayers Arms, said members of Hertfordshire Animal Rights’ campaign had been “threatening” and said he was puzzled as to why his pub had been targeted.  

He told the PMA: “Over the past three weeks we have been bombarded with their calls, emails and antagonistic remarks - some quite abusive to my staff - with an aggressive social media campaign being one of their tools to persuade the public to avoid us.

“They are entitled to their opinions but so are we.

“Whilst foie gras is readily available in many of our local butchers, restaurants, and supermarkets we too have right to offer menu choices, to our diners.”

He said he had been serving the dish for 11 years without controversy and urged campaigners to target their efforts on lobbying the Government for a change in legislation.

He added: “if one bows to the pressure of blackmail - and there are many cases of convictions of animal rights activists for similar offences - what will the next campaign be about?  Chicken? Beef? Lamb? Seafood?”

The animal rights group announced its protest earlier this week saying the pub had ignored its concerns and that this was the only option left to highlight “the cruelty they are complicit in”.