Surrey shop accused of racism takes down sign showing black men picking tobacco and apologises 'unreservedly'
10 August 2023, 06:32 | Updated: 10 August 2023, 06:34
A shop in a leafy Surrey village has apologised "unreservedly" after sparking outrage over a sign showing black men picking tobacco while watched by white overseers.
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The sign was behind the till of the tobacco section at Farrants, a longstanding independent supermarket in Cobham, south-west of London, near to the Chelsea training ground.
Former Chelsea footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Southbank Centre chief Misan Harriman, who photographed Harry and Meghan's Frogmore House celebrations for Lilibet's first birthday, are among those to have criticised the shop for displaying the sign.
Mr Hasselbaink said he had asked the shop to take the sign down three years ago.
He said on Instagram: "This needs some attention... I think it’s time you followed through on your word from 2020 and replaced this image".
The shop has now removed the image and apologised on Instagram for "any and all distress" caused.
"We will keep this brief," the post read.
"The image that has caused offence has been removed. We apologise unreservedly for any and all distress that it caused."
Mr Hasselbaink said in a separate post that "the image continues to cause hurt to people in our local community, and now further afield."
Misan Harriman, also known for photographing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, came across the sign this week.
He said that he went to Farrants to get some toys for his children.
Sharing a video on Twitter, Mr Harriman said: "There is a MASSIVE picture that is pride of place at the point of payment. It is an image of black men, broken black men at a tobacco plantation with their overseers next to them?!?! I kid you not!
"This is in a family store, this imagery is massive triggering and racist. And there is no conceivable reason it should be there! I’m so thankful I wasn’t with my girls.
"How on earth could anyone have shopped there and found that image acceptable.
"This is exhausting and damaging to many people."
