A beloved British pub has been subjected to ‘relentless online abuse’ after being mistakenly identified as a New Orleans bar of the same name which was accused of posting a controversial comment on social media about Charlie Kirk’s death.
The Courtyard Brewery in Royton has been swamped with negative comments ever since screenshots began circulating online that seemed to show the US bar criticising Kirk’s viewpoints immediately after the 31-year-old right-wing activist was shot dead in Orem, USA, last week.
The proprietors of the Shepherd Street establishment posted an urgent appeal on their Facebook page directed at American visitors to clarify they were not responsible for the original comment.
The post read: “In the past four days we have unfortunately found ourselves in the position where we are being falsely accused and targeted by people that DO NOT READ before commenting on our socials. ..
“We have spent four days trying to put out a fire that is not ours to fight.”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The original comment under a Fox News announcement of Kirk’s death has allegedly been deleted, though screenshots and a number of responses tagging the New Orleans bar remain in circulation.
This case of mistaken identity has left Jacqui and Chris Ashley, owners of the Royton microbrewery, bar and coffee shop, feeling ‘stressed’ and ‘fed up’ after five days of attempting to moderate comments and report Google reviews that ‘aren’t even aimed at them’.
Speaking to the M. E.
N. , Jacqui revealed: “To be really honest, I didn’t even know who Charlie Kirk was until this all happened.
“I just woke up on Thursday morning and there were all of these horrible comments saying we’re ‘evil’ and ‘we hope your business burns down’. I spent my whole Thursday deleting comments as they came in.
“We hoped it would just blow over after a few days. But we’re on day five and they’re still coming.”
Jacqui, who has co-operated the establishment for eight years, admits she has ‘no way of knowing’ whether the remarks have impacted trade, though she’s concerned about fraudulent reviews deterring prospective patrons.
This proves particularly troubling as the ordeal unfolds precisely when she and Chris are seeking someone to assume control of the enterprise.
“The way that hospitality and small businesses are at the minute, any negative is a massive blow,” she explained.
“It’s just the last thing we needed right now.”
The pub has urged local patrons to continue backing them and consider their circumstances when encountering adverse commentary online.
The Courtyard Brewery in New Orleans was contacted for comment.