A Perthshire businesswoman says she has received threats of violence and been called a “traitor” after giving a clootie dumpling to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Michelle Maddox runs Clootie McToot, the world’s only clootie dumpling shop, in Abernethy.
She met the Prime Minister at a festive food and drink market at 10 Downing Street last week.
Michelle gave him a clootie dumpling wrapped in Harris tweed and posted about the event on her business Facebook page.
She was shocked to receive a series of threats and abuse in private messages.
Threats to clootie dumpling owner
Michelle said: “It’s been horrific. Who would have thought a clootie dumpling could have caused this?
“I’m not political at all. I would have gone to a Nicola Sturgeon event if she’d offered me one, as long as it was food related and non-political.
“The threats were in direct messages from men.
“I was told I was a traitor, that I could get a brick through my van. Another warned me to not walk down a dark alleyway. I can’t say some of the words.
“Another message was not a direct threat of harm but was verbally awful.
“I was in tears and petrified and I’ve not checked my Facebook messages on my phone again.”
Orders cancelled
Not only has she been left shaken by the threats but around a dozen orders, including a large bespoke order, had been cancelled.
Michelle started selling clootie dumplings at farmers markets and opened her shop in May 2018.
As well as a cafe, it sells clootie dumplings and cookery kits.
The business has nine staff and produces 20,000 clootie dumplings a year. It won a dream deal with John Lewis this year.
Michelle said she was invited to the London event as she’s keen to increase her number of export orders.
“I genuinely went there to promote Scottish food,” she said.
“It’s really important to me that everyone around the world knows about Scottish heritage and clootie dumplings.
“The event was all about small British businesses looking at the possibility of exporting. I didn’t know the Prime Minister was going to be there until the day.
“I had taken a dumpling down and asked the team to give it to him and his family. They said he was going to visit every stall.
“When he came up all I talked about was zero waste, biodegradable packaging, clootie dumpling and about my business being disability positive.”
The private threats receive caused Michelle to seek the advice of Police Scotland.
Plea for abuse to stop
She subsequently posted another message on Facebook asking for the threats to stop.
It said: “I respect everyone’s right to the freedom of speech.
“However would the individuals that are sending private, abusive and threatening messages PLEASE stop now. I don’t want to have to take them further.”
The post has hundreds of messages of support from customers.
Michelle added: “I respect everyone’s opinion but be respectful and kind.
Happy #SmallBusinessSaturday! We had so much fun at the #DowningStreetMarket sharing homemade #clootiedumplings & meeting other fab small businesses. We wonder if clootie dumpling will be on the dessert menu at @10DowningStreet on Christmas Day? 🤭 @BorisJohnson #SmallBizSatUK pic.twitter.com/Fkro663m3n
— ClootieMcToot (@ClootieMcToot) December 4, 2021
“I just want us all to support each other and support local businesses.”
