Resolution Statement 02282-18 Kler v Hull Daily Mail

Summary of Complaint

1. Simran Kler complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation that the Hull Daily Mail breached Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice in an article headlined "Post office restaurant to open, but will it deliver?”, published on 10 March 2018.

2. The article, which appeared on page 16, reported that a “former post office” had been “given the green light to be turned into a restaurant”. It went on to state that planning permission had been given to convert a house which used to be part of the post office into a restaurant. The article included a large photograph of the post office, with the caption “Planning approval has been given for a 30-seater restaurant at the site of a former Post Office”.

3. The complainant, whose family run the post office, said that the article and photo gave the misleading impression that the post office was closing down; this was not the case: it was an adjoining property which was being converted into a restaurant.

4. In response to the complainant’s concerns, the newspaper published a clarification on page 3, which stated “In Saturday’s paper, we published a story about a former post office being turned into a restaurant in Beverley Road. We would like to clarify that [the post office] is not part of the redevelopment and will remain open as a post office”.

5. The complainant said this clarification was not adequate: it was significantly smaller than the original article, which had included a large picture of the post office, and which had been harmful to her family’s business.

Relevant Code provisions

Clause 1 (Accuracy)

i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text.

ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and — where appropriate — an apology published. In cases involving IPSO, due prominence should be as required by the regulator.

Mediated outcome

6. The complaint was not resolved through direct correspondence between the parties. IPSO therefore began an investigation into the matter.

7. Following IPSO’s involvement, the publication offered to publish a follow-up article focusing on the complainant’s business and on their positive attitude to the new restaurant.

8. The complainant said this resolved the matter to her satisfaction.

9. As the complaint had been mediated successfully, the Complaints Committee did not make a determination as to whether there had been any breach of the Code.

Date complaint received: 14/03/2017

Date complaint concluded by IPSO: 16/03/2018