Since 1540, the opening of the Colchester fisheries has seen the town's mayor go out into the sea and dredge up the first oysters of the season, before sampling one accompanied with gin, gingerbread and a toast to the queen.
But for the first time the 16th century tradition in the Essex town will be conducted onshore for fear that the motion of the waves will make mayor Sonia Lewis ill. Mrs Lewis' aversion to the sea also extends to the shellfish, so the ceremonial consumption of the season's first catch will also not take place.
This seems incredibly arrogant of her, proposing also that Health & Safety concerns (that only she seems to care about) might put a permanent stop to the thing. With a little less ego she might have appointed someone to deputise so as to maintain the tradition. Then she could go in the books as a decent little quirk, not a destroyer.
Not that I would ever eat oysters.
Surely she could have deputised someone for this?
Either that, or the place needs there to be more rules for mayors:
1. Will not get seasick,
2. Will eat oysters.
3. Or will appoint a deputy for the above.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.