The Gloucetershire NHS Trust and Tesco announced that
after three years Spotted Dick was back on the menu. In 1999 the two groups
changed the name of the traditional English pudding to Spotted Richard,
after claims that folk were embarrassed to ask for it by name. A Tesco
spokesman said: “Our shoppers are more than happy with Spotted Dick”.
Editor's comment: This
story makes a bit of a change. For once it is hyper-prudery – not
racial and cultural sensitivity – that is the excuse for trying
to airbrush out another little bit of traditional England. Nevertheless
the victim is the same.
I’m not suggesting that
there are malign committees sending out orders to rub out English identity,
there don't need to be. Since 1997 the anti English mood music has intensified
and mediocre middle managers all across the country know what will help,
and what will hurt, their careers.
This time sheer weight of ridicule and commercial pressure caused a reversal
of policy... This time!
