A vegan group has sparked mockery after calling for Leicester’s Pork Pie Island roundabout to be renamed.
Controversial animal rights group PETA wrote to Leicester Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby to ask for the name change, writing “this is not a pie-in-the-sky request”.
They suggested that it should instead be called “Vegan Pie Roundabout”, sparking mockery from locals.
The roundabout in south Leicester is named after a nearby library which is said to resemble a pork pie when viewed from above.
PETA’s senior campaigns manager, Kate Werner, wrote: “This is not a pie-in-the-sky request. Eating a varied plant-based diet has been shown to prevent heart disease, diabetes, abdominal fat, and cancer.
“Vibrant vegan foods also have less saturated fat, fewer calories, and less cholesterol than their meaty counterparts.
“Encouraging people to eat plant-based could also help lessen the burden on Leicester’s already overstretched NHS.”
One local said on social media: “It’s been the pork pie roundabout since I was a kid. Go get offended somewhere else!”
Another added: “As a vegetarian I’m finding this as ridiculous as meat eaters do.
“My mum and dad had their wedding reception at the Pork Pie library. It and the roundabout have ALWAYS been called that”.
James Aris, from the Countryside Alliance, called the group “renowned attention seekers” and said “they are best ignored and no politician should take them remotely seriously”.
Sir Peter, the city’s mayor, said there would be no plans to change the name. Speaking to Metro, he said: “It’s a funny and quite clever way of drawing attention to themselves and their cause – but there is no way we could change the name people have given to the library and the roundabout next to it.”
