The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld its ruling on The Otley Burger Company and its 'offensive' Mother's Day advertising, which used images of missing child Madeleine McCann and mother Kate McCann.
On Sunday 27 March 2022, The Otley Burger Company posted a photograph of Kate McCann with missing daughter Madeleine in the background, adding a text overlay which read: “With burgers this good, you’ll leave your kids at home. What’s the worst that could happen? Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums out there”.
There were similar copies of the advert (which the owner stated 'is not an advert …' in its caption) on Facebook and Twitter - all of have been deemed 'likely to cause distress'.
The watchdog said it had received three complaints about the adverts, which were upheld.
This morning, the ASA said that the Otley Burger Company's posts 'trivialised the circumstances surrounding Madeleine’s disappearance and made light of a distressing news story concerning reports of child abduction and serious crime'.
The watchdog said: "The ASA considered the nature of the content to be of such a concern that we asked the relevant social media platforms to remove the content and suspend the account pending our investigation.
"The Otley Burger Company said that they would not use photos of Kate McCann in that manner again or superimpose images of Madeleine McCann being kidnapped. They said that all ads had been removed and would not be appearing again. They also said the image was a meme and there was no product placement, so it was not advertising.
"Meta stated that they had reviewed the content in the Instagram post and had removed it for violating their policies. They undertook a broader review of the Instagram account, removed further content and placed restrictions on the account.
"Twitter said the tweet had been deleted."
Since the controversial social media posts were published, the Leeds takeaway owner has received backlash, including for the comments made on Mother’s Day where the business uses an offensive Madeleine McCann.
Madeleine McCann was abducted whilst on holiday with her family in 2007 and has remained a high-profile missing person case around the world ever since. / Image: Gideon, Flickr
On Instagram, arguments broke out about the post with some suggesting the meme-style advertisement was uncalled for: “Let’s start a PR stunt using someone else’s dead daughter. [You’re] just a greasy burger flipper stay in your lane”.
Other said: “Madeleine McCann and her mum in this post ? Seems a bit sick and in very poor taste” to which the Otley Burger Company, clearly unphased, replied “only thing sick here is our photoshopping skillz”.
The ASA took the high-profile case of Madeleine McCann's disappearance into account, along with the date - Mother's Day - that the images were posted.
Their statement continued: "We noted that the ads were all posted on 27 March 2022 which was Mother’s Day. We considered that in combination with the images, the posting of the ads on that date was intended to further add to the shock factor and offensive nature of the ads. We also considered it was likely to have compounded the distress of those who saw the ads, and particularly for those who may have experienced the disappearance of a child."
The Otley Burger Company has been told not to republish the advertisements to avoid 'causing serious and widespread offence and distress'.
The Otley Burger Company has not yet publicly comment on the ruling.
Feature Image- The Otley Burger Company
Leeds
A much-loved Leeds coffee shop is celebrating 15 years in the city with £1.50 coffees
One of Leeds' best-loved coffee destinations, Laynes Cafe, is marking 15 years in the city - and is saying thank you with £1.50 coffees.
When? This Wednesday 3 June.
Founded in 2011 by Dave Olejnik, Laynes began life on New Station Street and quickly became one of the first venues in Leeds to focus on carefully sourced and roasted coffee beans, helping lead the way for the city's now-thriving independent coffee scene.
It's practically a Leeds institution at this point, sat proudly with its glowing yellow exterior and queues out the door full of punters looking for their morning caffeine fix.
To celebrate an impressive 15 years in the city, this Wednesday 3 June they'll be selling £1.50 coffees all-day.
Not only that, Laynes will be rolling out a brand refresh with Saul Studios, refreshing its daytime menu (including what Dave reckons might be the best hash browns in the world…maybe), and continuing to grow Laynes Bakery, which launched in 2023 and now supplies a growing list of independent cafes and delis across Leeds.
Dave Olejnik, founder of Laynes Cafe, said: "We never really got to celebrate being 10 — covid had other ideas — so 15 feels like the one to do properly. When I opened Laynes in 2011, the aim was to create somewhere that really cared about coffee, quality and hospitality. To be celebrating 15 years now is incredibly special. Leeds has changed so much in that time, and it's been amazing to see the city's independent food and drink scene grow and flourish. We're really proud to have been part of that journey.
"Rather than mark it with one big day, we wanted to celebrate across the whole year — kicking off with £1.50 coffees on June 3rd as a thank you to everyone who's kept us going. This next chapter for Laynes is a bit of a refresh with Saul Studios, an updated menu with quite possibly the best hash browns in the world, and the bakery continuing to grow. Feels like a great way to celebrate where we've come from while continuing to evolve."
80s icons Duran Duran announce huge Leeds gig as part of UK tour
Clementine Hall
British pop-rock legends Duran Duran are heading out on tour and coming to Leeds.
The ‘Rio’ and ‘Girls on Film’ singers are still going strong nearly five decades on, after releasing their 16th studio album, Danse Macabre, back in October 2023.
Later this year, Duran Duran will be heading to first direct bank arena for a spectacular live show, bringing decades of chart-topping hits, legendary performances and unmistakable style to our city.
It's set to be a very special evening, as their night in Leeds will act as the closing night of the UK Tour.
Formed in Birmingham in 1978, Duran Duran became one of the defining bands of the 1980s and helped shape the global New Romantic movement.
Across a career spanning more than four decades, the band has sold over 100 million records worldwide and earned multiple BRIT Awards, Grammy Awards and an enduring reputation as one of Britain’s most influential pop-rock acts.
Known for their truly groundbreaking music videos, electrifying live shows and timeless catalogue, it's safe to say that Duran Duran continue to captivate audiences across generations.
Fans can expect an unforgettable night featuring some of the band’s biggest hits including Hungry Like the Wolf, Rio, Girls on Film, Ordinary World, The Reflex and Save A Prayer.
Duran Duran will perform at Leeds' first direct bank arena on Saturday 24 October and they will be joined by special guests Pigeon.
Duran Duran tickets at Leeds' first direct bank arena go on general sale this Friday 5 June 2026, and you can get yours here.
The Hoot -
20th April 2022 
