An restaurant has ruffled the feathers of an animal rights group by choosing to serve foie gras.
Restaurant Chapter One, in Locksbottom, is serving the controversial 'delicacy' as part of its festive menu.
On Christmas Day, customers can enjoy a starter of 'Terrine Of Chicken and Foie Gras with Pickled Winter Vegetables & Truffle Mayonnaise', and diners on New Years Eve can expect a main consisting of 'Fillet of Beef with Pan Fried Foie Gras, Spinach & Truffled Madeira Sauce'.
However, Bromley-based animal rights group Passive Pressure Animal Welfare Group is less than impressed.
The group held a protest in the form of a candlelit vigil outside the restaurant, on Sunday November 23.
Armed with placards and signs, the group says this will not be the last if the eatery continues to serve this "unethical delicacy".
Founder of the group and West Wickham resident, Jan Yarker, said: "One of our members spotted it on the menu and alerted us.
"We contacted Chapter One, and I asked them if they realised the cruelty involved.
"They said it's from somewhere ethical, but I told them there's no such thing. We need to name and shame them."
Foie gras is made from the fattened liver of geese and ducks, which many claim causes immense suffering as the birds are forcibly overfed, sometimes leading to liver disease.
Ms Yarker, 67, said: "Lots of people have emailed and phoned them [to complain], but they choose to ignore it.
"The response we got [to the protest] was great, the motorists were really supporting what we were doing. We had signs saying 'beep if you're against cruelty'."
The production and sale of foie gras has caused controversy globally, with various bans in place around the world.
Fellow campaigner and Bromley North resident, Sara Charania, 37, added: "Chapter One have been asked by the public politely to remove this from their menu, they have seen footage of how it is produced.
"They know production is banned in the UK and yet they seem to still want to import it all in the name of profit whilst knowing what miserable existences these helpless birds have."
The restaurant sources its fois gras from supplier Fine France, and a spokesperson for Chapter One said: “Ethically, they [Fine France] object to the industrial methods of obtaining foie gras which are demeaning to the welfare of the birds. They only source and will only ever source traditional Foie Gras rather than the industrial machinery.
“Their products are definitely ethically produced, with a full-respect of traditions, birds and nature.
“Ducks and geese, being migratory birds, have a natural tendency/instinct to gorge on food prior to starting migration.”
For more info visit passivepressureuk.blogspot.co.uk
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