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Northampton priest demands apology after semi-naked woman projected onto church tower in strip poker night promotion
Northampton priest demands apology after semi-naked woman 'projected' onto church tower in strip poker night promotion
(about 17 hours later)
A parish priest has demanded an apology after a casino projected a 30ft image of a semi-naked woman onto the side of his church in Northampton.
A parish priest has demanded an apology after a casino appeared to have projected a 30ft image of a semi-naked woman onto the side of his church in Northampton.
The image was part of a publicity stunt for local casino Aspers, which said it was hosting a strip poker night on Valentine’s Day that would feature the model involved.
The image was released as part of a publicity stunt for local casino Aspers, which said it was hosting a strip poker night on Valentine’s Day that would feature the model involved.
But Father David McConkey, the priest at All Saints, Northampton, said he had been “appalled” by the incident on Saturday night.
But having claimed the stunt had “shocked shoppers” on Saturday night, the casino later issued a statement saying it had never actually happened. Aspers apologised for any offence called, explaining the picture was “doctored” on a computer rather than projected on the church itself.
Yet far from apologising, the casino told the Northampton Chronicle the stunt was “purely meant in good spirit”, promoting an event that would include “two saucy Page 3 girls and one cheeky male model”.
Father David McConkey, the priest at All Saints, Northampton, told the BBC he felt he had been “badly used” as part the “distasteful” stunt.
Father David told the Independent: “I am appalled, and I want an apology from the perpetrators.
He had earlier told the Independent: “I am appalled, and I want an apology from the perpetrators.”
“I didn’t know anything about it until this morning, but I heard they [the casino] were bragging about it on Twitter.
The casino told the Northampton Chronicle: “Naturally we are sorry if anyone was offended by this picture”, while its publicity company's director said he would be meeting with bosses to discuss “making amends” to those affected - starting with Father David.
“This is not an appropriate use of an iconic building, a sacred space that means a great deal to this town and community. You could call it larceny – using property that doesn’t belong to them for their own gain.
Updated: An earlier version of this article reported the casino's claims that a picture had been projected on to the church
“I would certainly not have given permission for them to use the church, but they didn’t ask. I still haven’t had any direct contact at all from the casino.
“I’m not aware of anything like this happening before, but to be honest I’m a bit nervous about what might happen next.”
After word of the stunt spread on Twitter and local resident Ruth Campbell called it a “distasteful attack on the church and our religion”, it was brought to the attention of the campaign group No More Page 3.
The organisation tweeted: “Good that there's been a backlash. Local feminist groups are essential for fighting these local fights as well.”
A spokesperson for Aspers Casino said: “We did not mean to cause offence in any way at all and it was purely meant in good spirit. Our alternative Valentine’s Strip Poker event on Friday night is a bit of fun and slightly tongue on cheek plus it is free for all to enter.”
