Takeaway restaurant comes under fire for saying its pizza crusts are thinner than Victoria BECKHAM (and its slogan even brands her an 'anorexic fashion icon')
- Sidhu Golden Fish and Chips shop in North Tyneside uses the controversial ad
- It uses a skeletal caricature of Victoria Beckham to promote its thin pizzas
- Anorexia charity Seed says the owners should 'hang their heads in shame'
A takeaway restaurant has come under fire for a controversial slogan that claims its pizza crusts are 'thinner than Victoria Beckham'.
Sidhu Golden Fish and Chips shop, in Battle Hill, North Tyneside, has been criticised by an anorexia charity for featuring a skeletal caricature of the former Spice Girl on an advert on the back of their delivery van.
The promotion shows the fashion mogul, famously married to footballer David Beckham, wearing a sash saying 'Anorexic Fashion Icon' alongside a message that reads: 'Our new Victoria Beckham thin crust only 2mm thin.'
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![The restaurant's advert compares its thin pizza crusts to Victoria Beckham and even features a skeletal caricature of the former Spice Girl and fashion mogul with a sash that reads: 'Anorexic Fashion Icon'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/08/07/12/430B3CBD00000578-4767758-image-m-63_1502106441505.jpg)
The restaurant's advert compares its thin pizza crusts to Victoria Beckham and even features a skeletal caricature of the former Spice Girl and fashion mogul with a sash that reads: 'Anorexic Fashion Icon'
Manager Soni Sidhu defended the slogan and said: 'It is not meant to offend anyone and our customers see it in context.
'It pushes the boundaries and encourages people to come in and try the pizza.'
The 32-year-old said that he has had the unusual sign on his delivery van for the last three years - however he will be taking it down before Christmas and replacing it with something different.
Soni added: 'People will remember it and tell their friends about it. It gets a lot of smiles off people and that is what we want.
![Fashion businesswoman Victoria Beckham has been caricatured and mocked on a takeaway restaurant's delivery van](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/08/07/12/0BFD4D2F000005DC-4767758-image-a-59_1502106430216.jpg)
Fashion businesswoman Victoria Beckham has been caricatured and mocked on a takeaway restaurant's delivery van
![Soni Sidhu, manager of Sidhu Golden Fish & Chips takeaway in Battle Hill, North Tyneside, has defended his shop's pizza advert - but says he will take it down at Christmas](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/08/07/12/430B3D8100000578-4767758-image-a-64_1502106684692.jpg)
Soni Sidhu, manager of Sidhu Golden Fish & Chips takeaway in Battle Hill, North Tyneside, has defended his shop's pizza advert - but says he will take it down at Christmas
'When we drive past we see people in the wing mirrors giving a smile or a wave or a thumbs up.
'We wanted something that would associate our name with the area and it has done that.
'The competition around where we are is fierce and we wanted the sign to grab people's attention.
'We have been very careful in the way that we have done it because it is not a real life picture.
'It is just a bit of fun really.'
However Marg Oaten, of anorexia charity Seed, has criticised the restaurant - saying that the advert puts people at genuine risk.
![The controversial advert is on the back of the fish and chip shop's delivery van](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/08/07/12/430B3CAF00000578-4767758-image-a-65_1502106713060.jpg)
The controversial advert is on the back of the fish and chip shop's delivery van
Marg, who has an MBE for services to eating disorders, said: 'Twenty per cent of people who suffer from an eating disorder die each year.
'To trivialise anorexia in a pizza advert is appalling.
'There has been a lot of good work done around mental health recently, especially by the royals, in reducing the stigma attached to eating disorders.
'This is a step in the wrong direction. The people responsible for this should hang their heads in shame.
'The advert puts people at genuine risk. Those who suffer from eating disorders are constantly battling with their feelings and thoughts.
'They will see the advert and start comparing themselves to the size of Victoria Beckham.
'These people need to be brought to account. There should be legislation banning this kind of thing.'
Victoria Beckham's agent was contacted for comment but did not respond.
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