Several people have sent me this menu from the Barnsdale Lodge Hotel from the Bird Fair weekend.
It’s up to every hotel to decide whether it wants to support the industry that attacks the RSPB, attacks Chris Packham and attacks our wildlife as well as increasing flood risk, water treatment costs and greenhouse gas emissions. And, of course, this grouse will almost certainly have a high lead level – lead is a poison.
I see that one regular reader of this blog has contacted the hotel already but I am wondering who else of the conservationists and Bird Fair exhibitors who passed that way over the weekend asked any questions about the provenance of the grouse or mentioned any disquiet about it being on the menu? I’d be very surprised if this hotel will know which grouse moor supplies its grouse and therefore cannot possibly even defend the shooting estate in question.
Did anyone ask any questions I wonder? Might a vegetarian main course be a better option? Which of these meals could merit an ‘L’ lead-free label?
I would, I can assure you, politely have asked some questions but I wasn’t there. And I won’t be there the next time you see grouse on a menu either? So, it’s up to you to do the asking please. There’s a handy guide on the Ban Driven Grouse Shooting facebook page (19 August).
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So did any of the guests attending Bird fair staying in the hotel, leave and find another hotel…bet they didn’t.
Taking the proverbial I would say.
Yes, it could be – or maybe in their innocence they think that a Bird Fair in the vicinity means many customers wanting to eat lots of birds.
Unreservedly agree about scrutinizing the provenance of the grouse and establishing how confident the hotel is that the toxicity of lead is safe; however, equally important to question the welfare standards regarding the chicken and the sustainability of the fish.
With that in mind also interested in people’s views on whether birders should also be enquiring about the organic status of the food on offer per se?
Or perhaps we should be going further and asking..
Why aren’t all birders/conservationists vegan?
Cutting out animals from your diet is one of the single most significant things you can do to lessen your impact on the planet, it’s resources and it’s wildlife.
As well as eating animals the other hobby that can have a huge impact is travelling by air. And its not as if Birdfair are promoting travelling long distance by air …. oh no wait, hang on!
A friend posted pictures of what must have been this hotel – the reading material provided for guests in the foyer included The Field and Country Life magazines and they had a certificate from the Countryside Alliance re the quality of their cuisine. Plenty of antlers on the wall too. Mmmmm…might not get much traction with this one.
I don’t go to places with grouse on the menu. But sometimes it can happen accidentally because grouse is seasonal and may not be on the menus published online. In such cases I don’t walk out but I do make my views clear. The leaflet on the BDGS Facebook page is to help in that or similar circumstances. Maybe next year we should offer a ‘We don’t sell grouse here’ window sticker.