Fury as solicitor hosts ‘council estate dinner’ party with turkey dinosaurs and Viennetta | UK | News
A Cheshire lawyer sparked widespread outrage after posting on LinkedIn about a themed dinner party dubbed a “town hall dinner” that featured an array of processed frozen foods including turkey dinosaurs, Fray Bentos pies and spam pastries. Sophie Murgatroyd, 35, who runs equine law firm Law by Sophie and lives near affluent Knutsford, shared photos of the meal, which included chicken dippers, potato waffles, crispy pancakes, smiley faces, baked beans and oven chips.
While Ms. Murgatroyd prepared the main course, guests served treats and desserts that included Viennetta, cream-speckled dick, gingerbread, and Sunny Delight and Buck’s Fizz drinks. In the now-deleted post, which was first highlighted by legal gossip site RollOnFriday, she wrote: “I love cooking for my friends… the theme for tonight’s dinner was ‘town hall dinner’.” He invited the engagement by asking the question: “Do you think we missed anything? A classic?” and added the hashtag #ineedarennie.”
This post quickly sparked harsh criticism. LinkedInfollowers branded it “tone deaf”, “insensitive” and “derogatory”.
Beverley Borkowski, chief people officer of a group of care homes, commented: “This is complete tone deafness. An 80s tea time classic at its best, no labels needed.”
Mental health expert Rose-Marie Macintyre said the label was “degrading”, adding: “Some people with mortgages can’t even afford to buy these foods.”
Meanwhile, actuary Richard Shaw argued that the food described was not specific to a particular demographic and found that the post was “an insult to families who provide healthy meals for their children”.
Anonymous lawyers on RollOnFriday were even harsher. One called the post “an embarrassment to the profession”, while another noted: “Poshos are making fun of working-class people who not only were given a bunch of horses as kids, but actually have to work for a living.”
Ms Murgatroyd, who grew up on a farm near Harrogate and reportedly had her first pony as a young child, was qualified as a solicitor around 2016/17. His history, which includes past interviews in which he prioritized finding the right barns when looking for a home, has been cited by critics as evidence of a significant class disconnect.
When contacted by the Daily Mail, Murgatroyd defended the evening by saying: “I absolutely disagree that it was insensitive. The people I was with didn’t find it insensitive at all, as I grew up on a council estate. It’s not about where you come from, it’s about spending time with quality people.”
He likened his choice of theme to a Mexican night or shopping at a farm store, arguing: “I don’t take offense if people want to shop at a farm store because they didn’t grow up on a farm.” He claimed he deleted the post because he didn’t have time to respond to the many comments, rather than out of regret.
This debate highlights ongoing class sensitivities in Britain; many critics suggest that the “nostalgic” dish would only be celebrated if it were labeled “90s retro tea.”
