Roy Chubby Brown protest venue boss tribunal case pulled

Roy Chubby Brown is booked to perform at Middlesbrough Town Hall in June

A former venue manager who resigned in protest at the booking of comedian Roy Chubby Brown has ceased her employment dispute with a council.

Lorna Fulton stood down from her role at Middlesbrough Town Hall in 2019 after the controversial entertainer was welcomed back to the venue. 

The tribunal between Ms Fulton and Middlesbrough Council was due to go ahead on Friday.

However, it now no longer appears on the listings.

In a now-deleted tweet, the former head of programming at the town hall said she was pleased the hearing was no longer going ahead and thanked her legal team. 

Officials from the employment tribunal offices in Newcastle confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the case had been pulled "out of the list". 

'Unwritten policy'

Middlesbrough Council has declined to comment on the matter. 

In 2019, Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston scrapped an "unwritten policy" which apparently said the Grangetown-born comic, whose material some people find highly offensive, could not perform at the town hall. 

Ms Fulton stood down in response, and it is understood she and her family suffered abuse and threats of violence in the wake of her decision.

Middlesbrough's Labour group has called on the council and Mr Preston to apologise to Ms Fulton for the distress she and her family had suffered.

When it came to Chubby Brown performing, Mr Preston said he was a "popular and controversial performer".

The mayor added: "I personally don't like his brand of comedy but lots of people do.

"I don't believe it should be up to me, or anyone else, to decide which specific controversial comedians should be banned from Middlesbrough and which should be welcomed."

Mr Preston also condemned the abuse Ms Fulton had suffered.

"It's appalling that anyone should be subjected to such horrible abuse," he added. 

"No-one deserves that."