A burger van owner promoted his business on Mother's Day by featuring missing toddler Madeleine McCann and her mum Kate.
The Otley Burger Company wrote: “With burgers this good, you’ll leave your kids at home. What’s the worst that could happen [sic] Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums out there.”
The young girl, who was aged three at the time, went missing in 2007 on a family getaway in Portugal with her parents Kate and Gerry, Yorkshire Live reports.
This is not the first time that The Otley Burger Company, based in Boroughgate, Leeds, has used controversial posts to promote their business.
Their Mother's Day post in 2021 featured the disgraced mother Karen Matthews, who faked the kidnap of their own daughter Shannon in 2008. Their 2021 Father's Day post featured snaps of killers The Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe and Fred West and necrophile Jimmy Saville, among other figures.
The Otley Burger Company owner Joe Scholey, 29, said “I couldn’t care if people are really offended”. Speaking to Yorkshire Live, he said: “I don’t really have a message to them [those offended]. Maybe LOL? It’s a good laugh, isn’t it? I couldn’t care if people are really offended, I really don’t.”
The burger man, who doesn’t have any children, explained that each time he pulled the controversial stunt it goes down well with his customers and he takes in a lot more money. He said: “Many years ago in the land of lockdown, we posted one and it got a bit of attention and it brought a lot of money in.
“So I thought, if I can do that every year, it’s a couple £100. We thought with a couple £100, I could spend it on myself. The following year, I posted the Karen Matthews one again and everyone went absolutely mental – I thought ‘this could be bad!’ but it turned out to be the opposite. I got a load of money again.
“So I thought, this year, I need some new watch batteries – my battery is bust!”
The post on social media has drawn mixed responses.
“Time for more free National advertising,” wrote Graeme Scholey, along with a series of thumbs up and a crying-with-laughter emoticon.
“Free McCann of Coke With Every Purchase?”, joked Claire McInhirst.
Mahmood_Ihatenumbers said: "Madeline McCann and her mum in this post? Seems a bit sick and in very poor taste."
To that, the owner replied: "Only thing sick here is our photoshopping skillz."
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