What Is the Human-Shaped Black Bag?... Families Visiting Kids Cafe 'Shocked'

Controversy Over 'Body Bag' at UK Play Area for Under-12s
Black Bags Hung with "Caution" and "Danger" Warnings
Parents Outraged... "Apologize for Causing Discomfort"

[Image source=Capture from X (formerly Twitter)]

In late October, ahead of Halloween, a kids' cafe in the UK sparked controversy by displaying 'body bags.' On the 20th (local time), Sky News UK reported, "A kids' cafe located in Gloucestershire, southwest England, hung black bags on the netted pillars of the play area to mark the upcoming Halloween, which drew complaints from parents."

Photos from the kids' cafe at the time showed the black bags shaped like human figures and turned upside down, with some bags taped with warnings such as 'Caution' and 'Danger' to make them look like real corpses. The appearance of body bags in a kids' cafe for children under 12 shocked parents.

One parent told Sky News, "I visited the kids' cafe with my daughter, and the body bags were placed in an area where only children could see them, not the adults. As soon as I saw them, I immediately thought of body bags and was startled, but I didn't want to explain what they were to my child. Other parents were as shocked as I was," they said.

The controversy also spread on social media as the photos were shared. Netizens who saw the incident reacted with comments such as "It's scary," "It could cause psychological trauma even to adults," and "Isn't this child abuse?"

In response, a representative of the kids' cafe said, "This is the first time someone has raised an issue with us. We will, of course, remove them," adding, "There was no intention to cause discomfort. We apologize for causing offense."

The kids' cafe won the 'Travelers' Choice Award' in 2022, selected by TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site. Their website states, "We strive to provide a fun, safe, clean, and stimulating environment." Like kids' cafes in Korea, it offers various play areas, and parents can enjoy the cafe inside. The admission fee ranges from ?5.75 (about 13,000 KRW) to ?11.75 (about 21,000 KRW) per child.