Brighton Council Eat Humble Pie Over Quo Controversy

Brighton and Hove city council has issued a formal apology to Status Quo after it used a disparaging website to advertise some jobs.

The website, www.saynotostatusquo.co.uk, is a job site reported to have cost £10,000 to build which is advertising four high paid positions in the Brighton & Hove council and it is emblazoned with the slogan Status Quo Fans Need Not Apply.

Aside from accusations that the website – and jobs – were a waster of money, it was rather unsurprising when Status Quo and their thousands of fans found the website to be not really very funny.

Status Quo's manager, Simon Porter, didn't get the joke either. "This is a direct insult to the capabilities of millions of Quo fans, many of whom are probably totally overqualified for these jobs," he said, according to Spinner. "On top of that, this just seems like a ludicrous waste of money particularly in the week when the new prime minister is warning everyone about future budget cuts. Perhaps Brighton should make some savings in its recruitment department." The band are reportedly considering a banner for their Brighton concert in December, reading: "Councillors for Brighton and Hove need not attend."

Now a statement from John Barradell the council’s chief executive has been placed on the job site.

"Firstly, I'm sorry if any offence has been caused by our advert slogan "status quo fans need not apply” – none was intended. What we mean by this play on words is that we want people who will come to the council with brilliant and original ideas about how to make residents’ lives better. We don’t want people who will accept things the way they are.

"But I accept that it was a little insensitive. My wife did say when she saw it that "it might upset Quo fans". I hoped it would make us stand out from the crowd and would get people interested. Clearly she was right. That said, I’ve sent a letter to the official fan website to explain this and, judging by the responses, most are prepared to take the joke in the spirit in which it was meant.

"Of course, I don’t need to say how well loved and supported the Quo are here in Brighton & Hove.”