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St Albans pub’s body bag Halloween display is ‘distressing’

3 hours ago


Simon Dedman/BBC A white building with black painted around the windows. There are two signs with "Ye olde fighting cocks" on them. There is also a long black bag hanging from rope down the side of the building. There is also a mesh-like web attached to the side. Trees are in the background.Simon Dedman/BBC

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks sits on the corner of Verulamium Park on Abbey Mill Lane, which dates back to AD793.

A suicide prevention charity is urging a pub to take down its Halloween display as it is “distressing”.

The decoration, which is a black bin bag shaped to resemble a body bag hanging from a rope, was installed outside St Albans pub, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, this week.

Debi Roberts, CEO of suicide prevention charity The Ollie Foundation, which is also based in the Hertfordshire city, warned the feature could upset people who have loved ones who have taken their own lives.

She said: “I think the pub has freedom of choice; however, the fact that so many local people have said they find it distasteful and upsetting should be reason enough for them to take it down.”

“Decorations of a figure looking not dissimilar to a body in a body bag, with a noose around its neck, are deeply distressing,” she added.

A piece of paper with the name “Karen” has been attached to it.

Simon Dedman/BBC A close-up of the "body bag" where the words "Karen" can be seen printed on the front of it. It is a long black bag that is hanging from the side of a white and black building. There is a mesh web in front and a sign with "Ye old fighting cocks" printed on it.Simon Dedman/BBC

The Ollie Foundation is warning the body bag hanging from outside the pub could be upsetting for people affected by suicide

The owners of the pub, believed to be one of the oldest in the country, have been approached for comment.

  • If you have been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line

The Ollie Foundation was founded in 2016 by three parents who had each lost a teenage child to suicide.

Ms Roberts pointed out one in six people are on antidepressants and are “working hard each day just to stay afloat”.

She said: “Decorations like these can make things harder at a time when they are already feeling overwhelmed.

“For someone experiencing suicidal thoughts or who has lost a loved one to suicide, these displays can serve as painful reminders, bringing up memories and emotions that are difficult to manage.

“It won’t offend everyone, but knowing that it upsets a few and why it’s so upsetting to them is surely reason enough to think twice about using this particular decoration.”



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