Goldsmiths student union has received significant backlash for a freshers' 'safari tour' of local chicken shops.

Goldsmiths student union has been criticised for its organisation of a 'Chicken Shop Run' event that toured Lewisham's local chicken shops.

The event was designed to encourage students to support independent and local businesses over chains, but many have labelled it 'patronising' and appropriative.

@GoldsmithsUoL why must u always exotify "local culture" 4 mdl class students 2 consume? Stay in ur brockley barge birdie num nums lane pls😭

— tabloid tits (@billiepauI) September 25, 2017

Sighhhhh

— acupps (@RissReid) September 26, 2017

Is that actually real? Fucking hell.

— Goal Pooch. (@Ollyzor) September 25, 2017

Yikes Goldsmiths SU doing the most as always

— heri baharini 🐚 (@Cynthia_Mbuthia) September 25, 2017

Students are arguing that the tour, which explores predominantly working class areas, 'exotifies' working class culture for the consumption of well-off, middle class students.

Che Scott-Heron Newton, a Goldsmiths student and previous president of the university's Afro-Carribean Students Society, voiced her disgust to the Evening Standard, explaining

'This is the blatant and gross exotification of local working-class culture... I can honestly say that this is one of the most pretentious messes that I have ever seen in my entire life. I am beyond disgusted and appalled that the student union would think it appropriate to parade its new (typically non People Of Colour typically middle class) students through Lewisham as if it is a safari tour.'

A spokesperson for Goldsmiths claims there were no complaints about the tour... unsurprising given most of its participants were probably white middle class kids unaware of its problematic nature.

The union maintains that the event was created as a response to the gentrification of Lewisham and London as a whole, encouraging students to support independent, local businesses rather than the increasing number of chains.