'Cruel' foie gras taken off menu

Foie gras is a pate made from the livers of force-fed ducks and geese

A college has decided to withdraw foie gras from its restaurant's Christmas menu after receiving complaints about cruelty.

Yale College's Rendezvous Restaurant in Wrexham will no longer be serving the delicacy, which is a pate made from the livers of force-fed ducks and geese.

One complainant, Genny Bove, from Moss, Wrexham, said it was "immoral" for any restaurant to offer the dish.

The college said it had taken the complaints on board.

Ms Bove wrote to the local press in Wrexham after being made aware that foie gras was on the menu.

She said the process that went into making it could result in birds' livers swelling to 10 times their normal size from a disease called hepatic steatosis.

She said it was "distasteful" that a college restaurant that was responsible for training young students "should be setting such a poor example".

I hope all other restaurants which currently serve foie gras decide to withdraw it from their menus also Genny Bove

After Ms Bove highlighted the issue, the Rendezvous Restaurant then received more complaints directly about the food before the college decided to remove the item entirely from menu.

She said the move was "very good news".

"I think that Yale College must have realised that once it was exposed that foie gras is totally cruel, people would not want to eat at the restaurant," she said.

"I hope all other restaurants which currently serve foie gras decide to withdraw it from their menus also.

"It is not just me who is against this, there are a lot of people and groups in Wrexham that are concerned."

A spokeswoman for the college said: "The management team and staff of the college have taken the public's concern on board and have withdrawn foie gras from the menu offered at its Rendezvous Restaurant.

"Yale College is renowned for training its Hospitality and Catering Students to the high standards required by the industry and offers them a fantastic fine dining restaurant in which to achieve their qualifications and skills."