UK arcade slammed for giving away racist “golliwog” dolls to children

An arcade has been criticised for giving golliwog dolls, often described as symbols of racism, to children as a prize for winning a seaside game

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by Kayleigh Dray |
Published on

Visitors to the resort on South Shields just a few miles from Newcastle have spotted the controversial doll in an amusement centre.

Twitter user Jamie Diffley posted a picture of the doll prizes to Twitter, alongside the caption "Come to Shields. Win a Gollywog."

Golliwogs were popular toys in the 20th century, often featuring in children's books of the era - including those penned by Enid Blyton, such as The Magic Faraway Tree and the Noddy series.

In later years, however, the golliwog became socially unacceptable as the name was hijacked for use in racist taunts against black people.

Earlier this week the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned a fancy dress website for advertising a golliwog-style costume, saying it was "likely to cause serious or widespread offence".

The website are still, however, allowed to sell the costume, as it is "not illegal", despite being seen as repulsive by many.

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