Search icon

Food

17th Aug 2021

Chippy boycotted because of offensive name which ‘glorifies murderer’

Kieran Galpin

Chipy

The chippy has taken a battering thanks to the boycott

The owner of a chippy in London is refusing to change its name despite a boycott knocking at the door. But the business is not being boycotted for its food standards, but instead, its choice in name.

Recep Turhan opened Jack the Chipper, wordplay around Jack the Ripper, in Greenwich following his success of another restaurant by the same name. Ironically, the location of the first chip shop is in Whitechapel, which happened to be the hunting grounds of serial killer Jack the Ripper in 1888.

Despite Whitechapel residents taking no issue with the name, people in Greenwich are saying it glamourises violence against women. Though the exact number of Jack’s victims is unknown, it is believed he killed at least five female sex workers in the Whitechapel area.

Despite the Boycott, Turhan is standing firm in his choice in name.

Turhan told This Morning: “I don’t think we will change the name because this is the history 160 years ago. I’m using only play on words for the name and nothing else.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPaaJGGnBLx/

“Some people hate it, but some people love it. They stop in the traffic and say they like it.”

Cagri, who is Turhan’s son and the manager of the Greenwich location, added: “We don’t want to change the name. We don’t want to disrespect anyone.

“We’ve already shown our respectfulness by offering 50 percent discount for women just to show we’re not here to be disrespectful or damaging in any sense. We’re just here to provide good food and a good service.”

Despite the backlash over the name, reviews of the food are largely positive.

Related links: