27
Apr
Ripon pub owners explain why they changed historic inn's 'insensitive' name
The new owners of a historic Ripon pub have revealed why they feel it necessary to change its name to something less offensive.
Laura Davis and James Campbell, who managed the Malt Shovel at Brearton until this year, have taken over the Black A Moor Inn at Bridge Hewick, near Ripon Racecourse, and plan to change its name the the Furlong and Furrow.
The pub started as a coaching inn, and its name apparently dates back to the 17th or 18th century.
The name change has been questioned by some, so the couple posted an explanation of their reasons in a Facebook post.
The wrote:
The name change is simply because in today's era, some would feel the name a little insensitive due to its relations to the slave trade and European artistic trope from the sixteenth to the eighteen centuries. We want our venue to be inclusive to all and to carry no unwelcomed bad relations to racism.
We totally respect the history behind it and we hope that the public will understand our reasonings for this in today's modern era.
They go on to explain that “Black-a-moor" – or Blackamoor, or Blackamore – is an archaic term historically used in Tudor England to describe Black people, but it is now widely regarded as an offensive racial slur, and is often labelled as such in modern dictionaries. It is even banned in competitive Scrabble competitions.
Blackamoor was – and still is – also used to describe a genre of decorative art which depicts African figures almost always in servile positions, such as supporting a table, shelf or candelabra, or even acting as a seat.
This style first became popular in the 17th century, during the period when Europe was very actively involved in the slave trade, but it has fallen out of favour as its racist connotations have increasingly been acknowledged.
James Campbell and Laura Davis.
The couple added:
Pubs with this name often face scrutiny for perpetuating historical racism. We obviously want no affiliation with this in 2026!
The decision was NOT taken lightly and we understand that some will be saddened by this. We want to reassure you that history will not be lost. We will be working on a feature wall that incorporates the Black A Moor's historical legacy and would welcome any photos or stories you may have to capture this.
They added that they would respect the pub’s character:
Part of the reason we fell in love with the Black A Moor is because of its stunning historical features and its traditional rustic charm.
We promise we will be leaving that well alone and keeping it as a traditional pub and eatery.
The pub's new name, the Furlong and Furrow, reflects both the nearby racecourse, where distances are traditionally measured in furlongs (originally a 'furrow-long'), and the surrounding agriculture, where ploughing furrows are still very much a feature of the landscape.
The couple intend to restore the pub’s original look, swapping the current grey look for a more traditional off-white exterior.
The bedrooms will be refurbished over the coming year, and in the meantime, they say customers can expect “gastro seasonal dining”.
They are planning a soft opening party on Friday, May 15 – subject to confirmation – open to anyone who wants to attend.
They added:
We promise to do the Black A Moor proud and look forward to new beginnings and welcoming Ripon and beyond to the Furlong and Furrow.
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