The Robins Nest Forum

Is everyone aware that the caterers Events Food Courts are selling people Halal meat burgers?
I know that legally they do not have to tell customers this is the case but some religions are not allowed to eat Halal meat and many people will not Halal meat on ethical and moral beliefs. European law says all animals should be stunned before being killed to produce meat for the human food chain. The UK has not taken on this law and is allowing the practice of animals killed in a barbaric way for food to enter the food chain.
I believe the caterers should let people know that they are selling halal meat and give people the option on eating halal or non-halal meat.
Where did i get this proof from you may ask? Empty packaging in the bin next to van behind the Speedy Skips stand. Photos taken and sent to the club.
I am not a vegetarian or anything however i do disagree with the way animals are killed in the inhumane and barbaric way to produce this food.
I have asked the question of both the caterer and club about this and am awaiting their responses. I will not be purchasing any refreshments from these caterers until given the choice of which meat to eat.
I know some will find this a petty subject but to be all inclusive we should respect everyone's religious, moral and ethical views and provide suitable food.
Feel free to boycott the caterers and i may well place a notice near the van advising people that Halal burgers are being sold there until some action is taken.

Mass produced burgers factory farmed and processed for football grounds are always going to be unethical.

Whether the dead animals the burger product is derived from are Halal, horse, cruel mega-factory farmed, and whether the factories are in unregulated parts of Europe or using below-minimum wage immigrants or modern slaves in the U.K. it doesn’t matter.

So I don’t have much sympathy for you choosing Halal as your hill to die on in this example when it would still be some of the most unethical and cruelly manufactured burger product you could find for sale regardless.

As an aside, I would support a minimum price for meat, set at a level which would allow farmers to increase welfare and environmental standards. This would also reduce consumption of meat back down towards a sustainable and healthy level. Currently the meat industry is one of the most failed markets (huge external and environmental costs no-one pays for, under-priced and over-supplied, lack of information and poor quality) so is an anathema to free marketeers like me.

A most interesting ethical debate, potentially.

I apologise in advance of my next paragraph which contains some graphic descriptions of animal slaughter. Please don’t read any further if you find such descriptions offensive in any way - that is not my intention.

It has always amazed me that so many people are vociferous about things such as fox hunting, bull fighting, hare coursing etc, but continue to eat meat on the basis that they feel a stunned animal is no less terrified of that process of dying, compared with the slaughter of animals having their throats slit. There is plenty of evidence of animals on their way to British ‘humane’ slaughter houses and they know what is about to happen because they smell the hormones of terror released by the earlier animals in the chain. I fail to see how any form of slaughter is any more or any less humane than any other. If people wish to eat meat, they should do so on the basis that the animal flesh they are consuming most probably resulted from the animal suffering a terrifying death anyway. My conscience is clear, I choose to be vegetarian because of my abhorrence to the thought of an animal suffering in any way.

Were we stunned, or inhumanely slaughtered by Lincoln City - to get the debate back to football?

alwaysarobin wrote:European law says all animals should be stunned before being killed to produce meat for the human food chain. The UK has not taken on this law

So Europe *doesn't* make our laws, eh...? That's not what the Leavers told us...

I agree with your stance - but I also agree with RCS when he says it's the price we pay for 50p burgers. During the horse meat 'scandal' some food critic said something along the lines of "do people really think that their £3.99 burger is 100% free range, organic fillet steak, ground by pixies??"

If you choose to eat meat that costs that, I'm afraid you give away the right to be appalled about *how* it costs so little, sorry.

When I was the breadline I used to buy Kingswood Food hot dogs, 8p a tin. If there was any meat in they then I reckon it might have been earholes, eyeholes and arseholes. Or am I talking about rissoles.

Meat is also sometimes cheap because its the unfashionable parts. I have been known to visit a butcher in the morning and spend the afternoon sucking marrowbone out of leg bones. It is why my hair is so curly.

No rummaging around in bins to see if your burgers are halal or not guys, you can all enjoy your Q pies

alwaysarobin wrote:Is everyone aware that the caterers Events Food Courts are selling people Halal meat burgers?
I know that legally they do not have to tell customers this is the case but some religions are not allowed to eat Halal meat and many people will not Halal meat on ethical and moral beliefs. European law says all animals should be stunned before being killed to produce meat for the human food chain. The UK has not taken on this law and is allowing the practice of animals killed in a barbaric way for food to enter the food chain.
I believe the caterers should let people know that they are selling halal meat and give people the option on eating halal or non-halal meat.
Where did i get this proof from you may ask? Empty packaging in the bin next to van behind the Speedy Skips stand. Photos taken and sent to the club.
I am not a vegetarian or anything however i do disagree with the way animals are killed in the inhumane and barbaric way to produce this food.
I have asked the question of both the caterer and club about this and am awaiting their responses. I will not be purchasing any refreshments from these caterers until given the choice of which meat to eat.
I know some will find this a petty subject but to be all inclusive we should respect everyone's religious, moral and ethical views and provide suitable food.
Feel free to boycott the caterers and i may well place a notice near the van advising people that Halal burgers are being sold there until some action is taken.

Stopped eating them for that exact reason. Agree it should be advertised to give people the choice

Agree with your post alwaysarobin

People should be aware of the origins of what they eat.

I personally don't eat meat so I don't need to worry but peoples ignorance to the whole matter is very, very sad in my opinion

Well posted Alwaysrobin. I only buy meat where the source is identified. Otherwise i go without.

Southstander wrote:No rummaging around in bins to see if your burgers are halal or not guys, you can all enjoy your Q pies

I don`t like your autocratic leader,but the catering at fgr.is excellent including Stroud ales in the bar !

everyman wrote:

Southstander wrote:No rummaging around in bins to see if your burgers are halal or not guys, you can all enjoy your Q pies

I don`t like your autocratic leader,but the catering at fgr.is excellent including Stroud ales in the bar !

Agree. I would be much more likely to turn up at 2pm and have lunch at the ground if we had the same quality as FGR.

After an email exchange with the caterers they have agreed to put signs up at their catering outlets saying there is a choice of non halal meat and halal meat. Apparently halal meat is there for those who ask for it but i personally have not heard people asking for it but there were quite a few empty halal burger boxes at the side of the van on Tuesday night. Hopefully if you ask for non halal meat you will be served it, having researched the guidelines you are allowed to ask for a burger etc to be taken out of the packaging proving if it is halal or not and have it cooked in front of you.
Lets hope the signs and proof from packaging allows everyone a choice of which meat they eat.
Sorry to those who do not eat meat for whatever reason but there are people who do eat meat and are opposed to the way the animals are killed for food.
Everyone has a choice and those choices should be available for all.

alwaysarobin wrote:After an email exchange with the caterers they have agreed to put signs up at their catering outlets saying there is a choice of non halal meat and halal meat. Apparently halal meat is there for those who ask for it but i personally have not heard people asking for it but there were quite a few empty halal burger boxes at the side of the van on Tuesday night. Hopefully if you ask for non halal meat you will be served it, having researched the guidelines you are allowed to ask for a burger etc to be taken out of the packaging proving if it is halal or not and have it cooked in front of you.
Lets hope the signs and proof from packaging allows everyone a choice of which meat they eat.
Sorry to those who do not eat meat for whatever reason but there are people who do eat meat and are opposed to the way the animals are killed for food.
Everyone has a choice and those choices should be available for all.

Shame they don’t serve meat from local grass-reared animals, but good to know the animals raised in cruelty and in environmentally damaging ways won’t be killed in Halal fashion, one supposes.

Nice to see Regency can demean a post that was put up for information purposes.

everyman wrote:

Southstander wrote:No rummaging around in bins to see if your burgers are halal or not guys, you can all enjoy your Q pies

I don`t like your autocratic leader,but the catering at fgr.is excellent including Stroud ales in the bar !

I'm surprised that Dale sells Ale in the stadium as it contains meat so should be out of bounds for vegetarians.

SHANDY VOR wrote:

everyman wrote:

Southstander wrote:No rummaging around in bins to see if your burgers are halal or not guys, you can all enjoy your Q pies

I don`t like your autocratic leader,but the catering at fgr.is excellent including Stroud ales in the bar !

I'm surprised that Dale sells Ale in the stadium as it contains meat so should be out of bounds for vegetarians.

Spot the ale novice:

“Our keg beers, bottles and cans are also vegan friendly.”

https://www.stroudbrewery.co.uk/#whyorganic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Spot the ale novice:

“Our keg beers, bottles and cans are also vegan friendly.”

https://www.stroudbrewery.co.uk/#whyorganic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ale Novice? That's hilarious, I've drunk more pints than you've made posts. Just thought that all beer contain insect parts, and wondered whether vegetarianism included insects as well?

SHANDY VOR wrote:

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Spot the ale novice:

“Our keg beers, bottles and cans are also vegan friendly.”

https://www.stroudbrewery.co.uk/#whyorganic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ale Novice? That's hilarious, I've drunk more pints than you've made posts. Just thought that all beer contain insect parts, and wondered whether vegetarianism included insects as well?

You thought wrongly it seems. More reading and less drinking required perhaps.

I know this thread is about catering inside the ground, but is it really CTFC Chat? Surely it's Non-Footy fodder.

Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention, alwaysarobin. I personally choose not to eat halal meat, so this is useful information.

vickeryc wrote:I know this thread is about catering inside the ground, but is it really CTFC Chat? Surely it's Non-Footy fodder.

It is CTFC related

Ok, fine. Just asking.

Ralph wrote:

vickeryc wrote:I know this thread is about catering inside the ground, but is it really CTFC Chat? Surely it's Non-Footy fodder.

It is CTFC related

I agree with Ralph.

I don`t like your autocratic leader,but the catering at fgr.is excellent including Stroud ales in the bar ![/quote]

I'm surprised that Dale sells Ale in the stadium as it contains meat so should be out of bounds for vegetarians.[/quote]

Spot the ale novice:

“Our keg beers, bottles and cans are also vegan friendly.”

https://www.stroudbrewery.co.uk/#whyorganic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;[/quote]

Does this mean vegans like it ?

For what its worth any of you CTFC supporters out there (to keep in in line with CTFC chat), that have kids at school. I would be amazed if all the meat being served at your schools, is NOT halal

Ihearye wrote:For what its worth any of you CTFC supporters out there (to keep in in line with CTFC chat), that have kids at school. I would be amazed if all the meat being served at your schools, is NOT halal

Especially now that most schools have their catering outsourced to the lowest cost and lowest standard contractors like Interserve and Capita (and Carillion before they went belly up).

Of course if you want better school meals they need to be paid for, something this nation is averse to.

Oh please, this whole thread has a whiff of Islamaphobia, faintly disguised as faux animal welfare.

If you really want to improve animal welfare, I suggest a campaign to the club to get the caterers to offer vegetarian options. That way you can prevent any animals being harmed at all as you munch on your nut roast, falafal or bean burger.

Artemis wrote:Oh please, this whole thread has a whiff of Islamaphobia, faintly disguised as faux animal welfare.

If you really want to improve animal welfare, I suggest a campaign to the club to get the caterers to offer vegetarian options. That way you can prevent any animals being harmed at all as you munch on your nut roast, falafal or bean burger.

Exactly, complaining about a few extra minutes of pain during slaughter after a lifetime of industrial conditions in a factory barn with processed food, little room to turn around, and being crammed into a lorry, is a bit lame.

I believe at FGR Vince originally sold proper meat products at a proper price - but lo and behold people didn’t want to pay a proper price, so he just stopped selling it altogether.

Not at all Art, it is a symptom of modern society that any debate is looked at and an attempt to put a # on it.
Am with RCS on this, we should be paying extra for better quality food, all round. We have got used to cheap food and don't even seem to question the source or content. Need to get back to days of a butcher selling meat and knowing the farm it's from

You can’t beat free range. That’s why I prefer a horse running in the fields, and a dog and cat playing in the garden.

How do you prefer your horse, dog and cat? With a little seasoning perhaps?

Can’t guarantee anything you buy as ‘meat’ these days

Ihearye wrote:Not at all Art, it is a symptom of modern society that any debate is looked at and an attempt to put a # on it.
Am with RCS on this, we should be paying extra for better quality food, all round. We have got used to cheap food and don't even seem to question the source or content. Need to get back to days of a butcher selling meat and knowing the farm it's from

What are you on about? I'm not trying to "hashtag" anything.

I'm merely pointing out that a dislike of halal meat on the grounds of animal welfare is a very spurious argument. I'be heard that kind of trite argument before - usually from those with an anti-Islam agenda. Not that I'm accusing anyone of that view.

Artemis wrote:

Ihearye wrote:Not at all Art, it is a symptom of modern society that any debate is looked at and an attempt to put a # on it.
Am with RCS on this, we should be paying extra for better quality food, all round. We have got used to cheap food and don't even seem to question the source or content. Need to get back to days of a butcher selling meat and knowing the farm it's from

What are you on about? I'm not trying to "hashtag" anything.

I'm merely pointing out that a dislike of halal meat on the grounds of animal welfare is a very spurious argument. I'be heard that kind of trite argument before - usually from those with an anti-Islam agenda. Not that I'm accusing anyone of that view.

Spurious indeed given the RSPCA state that:

“In the UK, 84 per cent of Halal meat comes from animals which have been stunned before slaughter and certified Halal highlighting that stunning and slaughter for religious purposes can work together.” https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/slaughter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would be more concerned with knowing whether the meat product sold came from U.K. slaughter houses like this from last month (plenty of examples from this year, just chosen at random): https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/h ... 44601.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Given such behaviour is all too commonly reported (tip of iceberg stuff? forthcoming compulsory cctv monitoring may help uncover) and cheap burgers for small retailers are going to be from the dregs of the supply chain, I have no confidence at all that burgers at WR do not come from such facilities.

So, again, no sympathy for the hypocritical OP.

Lord Elpuz wrote:You can’t beat free range. That’s why I prefer a horse running in the fields, and a dog and cat playing in the garden.

How do you prefer your horse, dog and cat? With a little seasoning perhaps?

Can’t guarantee anything you buy as ‘meat’ these days

If I were to looking to maximise my investment in equine meat then I would definitely buy the very high horse that RCS often resides on.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:

SHANDY VOR wrote:

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Spot the ale novice:

“Our keg beers, bottles and cans are also vegan friendly.”

https://www.stroudbrewery.co.uk/#whyorganic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ale Novice? That's hilarious, I've drunk more pints than you've made posts. Just thought that all beer contain insect parts, and wondered whether vegetarianism included insects as well?

You thought wrongly it seems. More reading and less drinking required perhaps.

Very good but when it comes to your posts I think the opposite is true So, where do you stand on insects?

My stance on insects is the same as all animals; if it is tasty, and sustainably reared/sourced then I will eat it.

I love meat, but rarely eat it as hardly anything you buy in restaurants or shops will be sustainable.

Rabbit or deer is a good example. If wild rabbits are shot for ecological protection of an ecosystem, say by the Woodland Trust, as a result of no natural predators existing anymore (until they reintroduce lynx in Kielder at least) then I will scoff it down with glee. But I will rarely order in a restaurant anymore, as it will more likely be farmed - especially rabbits which are increasingly farmed (in cages). A relative used to work at an RSPB site where they had sheep to keep certain grass and plants under control. But if they had too many sheep they’d get killed on-site, and we’d get a skinned and roughly hacked up sheep in the freezer for the year.

Humans are omnivores and supposed to eat some meat. But we eat far too much than we need and than us sustainable. Cutting down rainforest etc. A huge amount of crops grown goes to feed farm animals, reducing the global food supply. If everyone ate a much more sustainable amount and the environmental and ecological impact of the meat industry was reduced to levels it easily could be (if not for calamour for cheap meat, loads of which is thrown away) then I would have no problem.

I am a big advocate of lab grown meat. If people can have their 99p burgers and Tesco sandwich filling grown in a lab/factory, rather in a battery barn or intensive farm then everyone wins.