Skegness ‘hurt and offended’ over Jolly Fisherman’s ‘exploitation’ on New European cover The people of Skegness are “hurt and offended” that the town’s mascot, the Jolly Fisherman, has been “exploited” on the […]

The people of Skegness are “hurt and offended” that the town’s mascot, the Jolly Fisherman, has been “exploited” on the front cover of the New European magazine, the town council has said.

The publication is hoping to cause “controversy” with its coverage of the Lincolnshire town, according to a press release.

The fisherman has been redesigned to make rude hand gestures and wear a jumper featuring the words “go away”. He is standing under the headline “Skegness is so Brexit” on the cover of the pro-EU publication’s latest edition.

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Three-quarters of voters in the constituency of Boston and Skegness voted Leave in the June 2016 referendum – the highest in the UK. The New European article sends Anthony Clavane to visit the seaside town to “see if they still love Leave”.

‘Stir up controversy’

The front page was emailed out to the media on Wednesday afternoon with a note saying there was an “opportunity to stir up controversy locally” because the cover and article were “unlikely to go down well”.

“Worth sending the cover and the story to local television and newspapers (as I don’t suppose we sell many copies there),” it read.

The note in the press release appears to have been sent in error as it was excluded from a later version of the email resent to the media.

The first email: “The cover story – Skegness: The seaside town that Brexit could close down; this is unlikely to go down well, locally, and there is an opportunity to stir up some controversy locally – worth sending the cover and the story to local television and newspapers (as I don’t suppose we sell many copies there).” The second email: “The cover story – Skegness.”

The cover appears to mimic a poster first issued by the Great Northern Railway in 1908. Aimed at promoting the town, it featured the Jolly Fisherman and the slogan, “Skegness is so bracing”.

“It is very sad to see the image of the Jolly Fisherman being exploited in such a negative way,” said Skegness Town Council’s clerk Steve Larner.

“Both residents and visitors will testify that Jolly welcomes everyone to Skegness and many will be hurt and offended by this use of their much loved, iconic Jolly Fisherman.”

‘Skegness open for business’

Responding to the article in the magazine, Mr Larner said the Lincolnshire town was “very much open for business”.

“Last weekend the town was exceptionally busy, filled with visitors who used our beautiful beach and received a superbly warm welcome,” he said in a statement given to i.