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Customers have branded a cafe as racist because staff serve every plate of food with tiny toothpick Union Jack flags.

The owner of Station 164, an eatery in Hornchurch in East London, said that a number of complaints have been made ever since the World Cup kicked off.

Candy Merrett, 30, revealed that between three and four people make negative comments every week about the one inch flags that are placed in toast and sandwiches served at the cafe.

The mum-of-one has owned the London themed cafe for two years, and is confused to why people are unhappy about them.

She added that she has no intention of removing the novelty flags.

(Image: romfordrecorder.co.uk) (Image: romfordrecorder.co.uk)

Taking to Facebook, the cafe posted: “Patriotic and proud not prejudice

“After two years of running our little café we have encountered our first disapproval from a couple of customers.

“Any of our customers, past and present will know that we send all our food out with an England or Union Jack flag in it, this is not to insult or induce any feeling other than Great British pride.

(Image: romfordrecorder.co.uk)

“We are a little London café, we are British, English and Londoners. We will not feel ashamed to put little flags in our food.

“We will not be stopping. We are patriotic, not ‘pathetic’ as someone called us last week.

“We celebrate our country!”

Ms Merrett added that on social media, the majority have come to her support.

However, others believe that the little flags are racist and are calling for the cafe to stop serving food with them.

(Image: romfordrecorder.co.uk)

She told the Romford Recorder : “It is just tradition, we are a London themed cafe, we have St George’s flags and Union Jacks, and the Royal wedding flag all in the cafe.

“I really don’t understand why people are offended by this.

“People throw the flags on the floor in disgust, and it just doesn’t make any sense to me.

“We have some tourists that love it. They take the flags home with them as a momento.”