Now woke warriors cancel CIDER: Group trying to ‘decolonise Bristol’ boycott Thatchers Cider

‘Woke’ campaigners have attracted ridicule by calling for the public to boycott a popular cider producer over its tenuous links to slave trader Edward Colston.

The ‘Countering Colston’ group – which campaigns to cleanse Bristol of his legacy – were branded ‘heartless bastards’ for urging drinkers to abandon Thatchers Cider.

Activists are angry about fourth generation cider maker Martin Thatcher’s membership of the Society of Merchant Venturers, which is now a charitable organisation dedicated to education and the care of the elderly but in its previous incarnation had Colston as a member and was heavily involved in Transatlantic slavery.

The Society has its origins in a 13th-century guild that funded the voyage of John Cabot to Canada. Today the organisation is open about its slaving history, citing on its website a recent study which found that a quarter of its members were at one point involved in the ‘abhorrent’ trade. 

But ‘Countering Colston’ – which was set up in 2015 and campaigned for the removal of Colston’s statue before it was torn down by Black Lives Matter protesters in June 2020 – claims it remains a ‘cult of Colston’.

The group has now launched an attack on family-owned cider firm Thatchers – who have made booze on Myrtle Farm in Somerset for over a century, with its ‘Don’t Buy Thatchers’ campaign. 

In a recent tweet, they wrote: ‘Martin Thatcher, director of the company, is a member of the Society of the Merchant Venturers.

‘The SMV has deep roots in the historical slave trade in Bristol, and its members were responsible for the suffering and death of tens of thousands of human beings.

‘They are a powerful unelected elite who have significant influence on political and civic life in Bristol.’

Martin Thatcher has been a member of the philanthropic organisation, in which Colston himself was part of, since 2012.

Mr Thatcher said he, as a ‘relative newcomer’ and said he wanted to bring a ‘fresh perspective’ to the organisation, particularly in how it engages with its history.

He told Bristol24/7: ‘During the time I have been a member, I have been able to contribute to the valuable, philanthropic work that members of the Merchant Venturers do with organisations across Bristol, from care homes to education establishments.

‘As a relative newcomer to the society, I hope I’ve been able to bring a fresh perspective to thinking, in particular as to how the SMV needs to acknowledge what has happened in the past, yet continue to do its fantastic work for people across all Bristol communities in a way fitting and relevant for our lives today.’

People took to Twitter today to slam the ‘mindless’ campaign.

Janette Massey said: ‘In that case then surely they shouldn’t use sugar (slaves worked there), cotton (especially any from China as that has modern slaves), coffee… the list goes on.

‘Perhaps these people would be better off getting an education and a sense of perspective.’

Philip Parsons said: ‘When are these people getting a life.’

Benjamin Allen added: ‘I’ll put up with most of these woke temper tantrums, but this is where I draw the line. Stay away from Thatchers you heartless bastards!’

Chris Tovey added: ‘Words fail me. Mindless woke community raising non issues.’

Another Twitter user, Wayne Worlock, said the campaign would only make him buy more cider, adding: ‘It’s crazy to think that the modern day business is still potentially supporting groups that were involved in the slave trade so many years ago.’

MailOnline has contacted Thatchers, the Society of Merchant Venturers, and Countering Colston for comment. 

In January, commentators slammed the decision to acquit four people who admitted playing a part in the destruction of the slave trader’s statue. 

Rhian Graham, 30, Milo Ponsford, 26, Sage Willoughby, 22, and Jake Skuse, 33, were cleared of all criminal damage charges at Bristol Crown Court after requesting that the trial be heard in front of a jury.

The bronze memorial to the 17th century merchant was pulled down in Bristol on June 7, 2020 and was later dumped in the harbour during an anti-racism demonstration, one of the many that swept the globe in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Speaking after the verdict was announced, Ms Graham admitted the group were ‘ecstatic’ at the jury’s decision and claimed that they had ‘illuminated history’ by toppling the statue.

The four defendants opted not to have their case dealt with by a district judge or in a magistrates’ court. Instead, they opted to be tried by a Crown Court jury in Bristol, which is well-known for its activism.

Mr Willoughby let fly an expletive-laden rant outside court, as he too justified the group’s actions. ‘We didn’t change history, they were whitewashing history by calling him a f***ing virtuous man, sorry to swear, we didn’t change history, we rectified history,’ he said. 

Mr Skuse, wearing black baseball cap, said the verdict was ‘for once the right decision,’ and thanked graffiti artist Banksy for designing limited edition t-shirts which they wore outside court.

Mr Ponsford issued a ‘big thank you’ to jurors for ‘being on the right side of history’.

The prosecution’s argument that the case was about the rule of law and not politics was repeated vehemently by critics, who raised concerns the not-guilty verdict would set a precedent for further vandalism and dangerous identity politics.

Reacting to the defendants being cleared, campaign group Save Our Statues tweeted: ‘Colston statue accused defy justice. Verdict not only gives the green light to political vandalism, but also legitimises the divisive identity politics it helped succour.’

Conservative commentator Darren Grimes questioned: ‘I cannot believe this news about those who toppled the statue of Edward Colston being found not guilty of criminal damage.

‘Are we really now a country that says you can destroy public property as long as you’re doing it for a purportedly noble political cause?’