Restaurant stands firm in 'cruel' food protest

THE owners of a Bath restaurant say they will not bow to a sustained campaign of pressure to stop them serving the controversial French delicacy foie gras.

Brother and sister Alex and Jessica Grant, who own the Minibar restaurant in John Street, were targetted by protesters on four successive nights last week.

They say demonstrators from the Bath Activist Network were rude and aggressive towards their staff and customers - and that the protests have not changed their minds.

The group has staged protests at a number of restaurants and has persuaded some to take the delicacy - which can involve the force-feeding of geese and ducks - off their menus.

Mr Grant said the protesters had been stopping customers from entering the restaurant.

 He said: "They were shouting and swearing, and being threatening.

"I have a right to sell foie gras in my restaurant, it is not illegal.

"It is a popular dish, people love it and come in to eat it.

"No one will tell me what to do with my menu."

His sister agreed, and said the protesters had gone beyond what was reasonable.

She said: "I can see their point but they are going too far.

"Everyone has a right to complain but they are being aggressive and threatening to both staff and customers."

However a spokesman for the group insisted the demonstrations had been peaceful.

He said: "People came up to us to debate the issue, but it was very peaceful.

"The Minibar have been persistently keeping foie gras on the menu, and refuse to take it off.

"They sell plenty of other food, so I don't understand why they won't get rid of it."

A petition circulated by local activists asking B&NES Council to ban foie gras from its premises has raised nearly 900 signatures so far.

Another protester said: "Foie gras is torture.

"It is hypocritical of Minibar to talk about freedom of choice when animals have their freedom and right to life taken away from them. "We've collected almost 900 signatures on our petition so far, and it's clear that the public agree with us."

Avon and Somerset Police said it received no complaints about the protests.

A spokesman said "As far as we are concerned it was a peaceful demonstration, and we were not asked to intervene."