Critics have slammed the renaming of a pier on the River Thames after anti-racism backlash as “wet, woke madness”. Plantation Wharf in west London

 has been renamed St Mary’s Wandsworth after outcry over perceived links between its old name and the transatlantic slave trade. Marsha de Cordova, Labour MP for Battersea, said the pier’s original name, which was taken from an adjoining housing development when it was built by millionaire dockland developer Iain Shearer 26 years ago, made “a mockery of the violent history of chattel enslavement”.

But Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice branded the change, which took effect on April 7, as “wet, woke madness”. Mr Tice told GB News: “We should be proud to learn from our incredible history; not trying to erase it because views and values were different back then.” Uber Boat by Thames Clippers said the name change had been implemented following discussions with house and boat residents. The river bus company acquired the wharf in 2019 and began consultations over a name change in 2021.

Ms De Cordova, who has been among the anti-racism campaigners pushing for the site to be renamed for years, said the term “plantation” carried “highly offensive connotations” and “does not serve the wonderful diversity of Battersea residents”.

She told The Telegraph: “Having campaigned for Thames Clippers to change the pier’s name, I am pleased this has been achieved.

“It marks an important step forward in how we structure our public spaces.”

Pressure has now shifted onto the housing estate from which the pier took its name to follow suit, although a senior figure at Plantation Wharf Management Ltd said the path towards such a change might not be straightforward.

Board of Directors chair Vanessa Brady said: “This is not an unwillingness to negotiate but as a private estate … any changes must be funded by residents.

“It is not a simple process, but we will continue to consult with residents to see if they agree to pay for the costs incurred in changing the name and indeed if they want to change their name,” she added.

“We can only consult and then act on the wishes of the leaseholders. Another idea would be to receive a fund from the Mayor’s office to pay for it.”

Thames Clippers said the pier’s signage had also been updated to reflect the change and amended in Uber Boat’s timetable and route map.