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Purplebricks in Welsh hot water over ‘British’ For Sale boards

Welsh nationalists slam the estate agency after it erected Union Jack and lion-dominated board, supporting Olympic Team GB.

Nigel Lewis

purplebricks

Welsh nationalists have slammed Purplebricks’ over its new signboards supporting the British Olympic team.

The recently-launched For Sale boards, which have been called ‘embarrassing’, ‘two fingers to Welsh national aspirations’ and ‘adverts for the Tory party’, have unwittingly walked into the long-standing and fervent Welsh nationalism debate.

Campaigners for the cause have criticised several of the agency’s new Team GB boards outside propertie for sale in the Gwynedd and largely Welsh speaking village of Morfa Nefyn on the Llyn Peninsula.

Anger was expressed by campaigners on Twitter over two aspects of the boards – that they advertised propertyies as ‘ideal holiday cottages’ and that its design includes a Union Jack and a lion, the latter being a symbol of English rather than British sporting teams.

Two fingers

Writing in Welsh, Twitter campaigner @Dydd_Mair said: “Absolutely disappointing. Not only are they marketing a Morfa Nefyn house but they also marketing it with two fingers to us when doing it.”

Another commentator, @Yr_Hen_Goes said: “A nightmare for our villages; we roar, we challenge it. #nywarewalesfor sale.”

Others said: “@PurplebricksUK This leads to me never considering you as a company who I would sell/buy a house with.”

“This is divisive and lacks any sort of understanding regarding the housing problems experienced in Welsh rural areas. #disappointing.” “Can you replace the offending boards with your previous ones (bilingually) whilst you wait for the more appropriate ones for Scotland and Wales please?”.

In response Purplebricks wrote on Twitter that: “We’re sorry this has caused upset. To provide some context we’re supporting Team GB and their athletes following a year like no other ahead of the Olympics and we’ve commissioned several artists, who are also athletes to create these boards.”

April 20, 2021

4 comments

  1. V ery Amateur and ‘ Cras ‘ of Purplebricks, – what on earth were they thinking
    ( Obviously Not thinking, nor aware of their environment )
    What a Faux Pas

  2. It’s not an England Flag. I could have sworn that the Union Jack represented England, Wales, Scotland and N Ireland. I would hope that the Welsh members of Team GB are happy to raise that flag during events, or am I missing something here? Every day’s a school day and I’m happy to learn something new.

  3. It’s a shame these boards have been received in this way. Perhaps more context up front would have helped, however, I see no issue with them. The flag is the flag of the Union, and it is the British Olympic team.

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