A pub in Cornwall that was named Pub of the Year has been stripped of its title after it was discovered to have Nazi items on display.
The Hole in the Wall in Bodmin was given the esteemed CAMRA award multiple times because of its unique layout and interesting display of curiosities, such as vintage guns, a stuffed lion, and an old picture of Winston Churchill.
Among the various items on display, there is a more disturbing item- a Nazi swastika armband in a glass case on the wall of the pub.
Landlord Steve Hall has faced criticism after a complaint was made about the armband, which resulted in CAMRA promptly taking away the pub's title and cancelling the award for the year.
Steve has defended the display, saying it was 'taken out of context' and not meant to glorify the Nazis in any way.
Steve expressed his upset and annoyance at the situation. CornwallLive. He stated that the item has been in the pub since it opened 80 years ago, but it has now been removed following the complaint. He also questioned whether the person who complained had ever visited the pub or had only seen it online.
Landlord Steve Hall says the incident has been exaggerated.
He finds it ironic that the Hole in the Wall has lost its Pub of the Year title, especially since it had won the award on two previous occasions when the swastika was still on display.
He added that CAMRA at the national level had completely misunderstood the situation. He clarified that the item was not meant to hero-worship Hitler or the Nazis, but to celebrate victory over fascism and remember fallen comrades.
The armband, which is four inches by one inch, was brought back by a soldier from the Duke of Cornwall’s Regiment and has been on display in a glass case for decades.
A spokesperson explained that CAMRA's National Campaigns and Communications Committee decided to withdraw the Cornwall Branch Pub of the Year award for 2024. Subsequently, no Cornwall Pub of the Year Award will be given for 2024. This action was taken following a complaint about an item on display.
The item has now been removed, but it did go against nationally agreed CAMRA policies. Volunteers did not notice the item during judging.
'But, according to national policy, no bar or club can be nominated for a prize if it has signs or items that could offend customers because they are discriminatory.'
The landlord, Steve Hall, believes that the problem has been exaggerated.
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