Oxford cheese company in spat over claims it ‘castrated’ landmark
Oxford Cheese Company used a picture of the Cerne Abbas Giant, a naked chalk figure well-known for its 36ft giant phallus, on its Cerne Abbas Cheddar.
But it censored the image by adding a pair of trousers following a request from a supermarket.
Baron Robert Pouget, who founded the Oxford Cheese Company in Oxford’s Covered Market 40 years ago, said: “We have a cheese that is a strong mature cheddar that is made on a farm in Dorset.
“We have been selling it under our brand name for about 10 years. It’s a very popular cheese, we sell abut three tons a month.
READ MORE: Jericho street fair organisers hope for sunny weather
“We chose to use the Cerne Abbas man because it’s a very well-known local figure.”
The figure shows prominent male anatomy and “our label reflected that”, said Mr Pouget.
However, the company later covered up the phallus following a complaint.
Mr Pouget said: “We started supplying prepackaged portions to a national supermarket chain and at that stage somebody complained.
“A lady was offended. Never mind that this figure has been on the side of a hill for 3,000 years, when it appeared on the side of a cheese this lady was offended.
“So the supermarket asked us to put a pair of trousers on it.
“I said, look, this is ridiculous. It’s a national symbol, I can’t really castrate it. I took it as a bit of a joke. I said, do you want me to put jeans on it, what sort of trousers?”
“Then I thought no more about it, everybody seemed to be happy.”
Mr Pouget, whose company is noted for its Oxford Blue cheese and its spicy Oxford Sauce, said: “But apparently this brewery wanted to use the symbol and somebody said the Oxford Cheese Company is already using it.
“And this started a huge furore.”
Cerne Abbas Brewery claimed the company had “exploited” the attraction.
A statement posted on its Facebook page said: “The Oxford Cheese Company you are a disgrace!…
..