‘We block 10 people a day’: culture war trolls add to UK vegan restaurants’ struggles

Online abuse is latest challenge for plant-based eateries along with high costs and changing appetites

When Jim Anderson and his wife, Samantha, opened their vegan restaurant, the Oak Tree, in 2013, they boasted proudly of its plant-based menu. Not any more. The “V-word” has become such a target for abuse that they have removed it from their menu and social media.

“We block up to 10 people a day on social media,” said Anderson. “All we are is a restaurant that serves a type of cuisine. But for some reason, that word – the V-word – seems to cause people to go crazy, so we’ve dropped it.”