Council apologises for banning woman for selling Knight Templar mugs The mugs at the centre of the row, featuring a crusader knight and the order's motto, raised concerns Muslims might be offended.

Image: The mugs were sold at a stall at a market in Leicestershire.

A market stall holder who has been banned for selling Knights Templar crusader mugs which some feared might offend Muslims may get a reprieve.

Vintage book seller Tina Gayle got an apology from the council after she had been originally told she had to leave her pitch of three years in Loughborough Vintage Market, Leicestershire.

The 57-year-old has received a phone call from the market authorities and now has a meeting with a manager.

The mugs at the centre of the row feature a medieval knight and the Christian chivalric order's Latin motto, which translates as: "Not to us Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory".

The mugs brought one complaint.


When market authorities received the complaint, Ms Gayle refused to remove them from sale.

She was handed a letter on 6 October stating she was in breach of Charnwood Council's trading terms and conditions and had to leave her pitch at the market.

The council now says it had "got this one wrong", and has apologised for the way it handled the matter.

Image: One of the Knights Templar crusader mugs at the centre of the row

In a statement, it said: "We did receive a complaint because someone was offended by the mugs, but we do not find the mugs offensive.

"Our main issue was that it is a vintage market and these items were new when we only want vintage or used items on sale."

Ms Gayle, from Didcot, Oxfordshire, who also sells Second World War vintage books, said she was "appreciative" of the council's change of approach and hopeful she might get her pitch back.

Ms Gayle said she had been told the council "had a complaint that the mugs might be offensive to Muslims".

She added: "The person who complained wasn't offended himself, but thought Muslims might be.

"I've never had a Muslim come into my stall and say they were offended by the mugs."