Skip to content

GameStop: Confused investors inundate Robin Hood society

Getty Images Robin Hood statue in NottinghamGetty Images
The World Wide Robin Hood Society is hoping its new popularity could help tourism in the city

A society promoting legendary outlaw Robin Hood has seen a huge surge in its social media following from people confusing it with the US stock trading platform Robinhood.

The World Wide Robin Hood Society promotes the tales of the hero and his connections with Nottinghamshire.

More than 33,000 people began following the group on Twitter in 24 hours.

It comes as the trading platform with the same name curbed buying of shares in US electronics shop GameStop.

Robinhood hit the headlines for restricting the firm's trading shares, causing outrage among Americans buying the company's stock with the aim of pushing up the price.

1px transparent line

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
1px transparent line

The society started Thursday with under 400 Twitter followers, but now has more than 33,000.

A tweet hoping to clear up any confusion among its new followers then led to an even bigger jump in popularity.

One new follower said the social media spike "is the funniest thing to come out of this GameStop rollercoaster", while another said: "Spare a thought for the Robin Hood Society in Sherwood's social media person today."

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

Lisa Douglas, who runs the social media for World Wide Robin Hood Society, said the increase in interest had been "a complete and utter surprise", and with Nottingham Castle due to reopen after renovations, she hopes it brings a boost to the city.

"We've known about Robinhood for quite a long time because we've been getting quite mean messages from their frustrated customers, but it just went absolutely crazy," she said.

"What we're going to do now is really build on the website and build of the Twitter side of it, because if you've got this many followers you've got a responsibility to keep them entertained and informed.

"We're going to be busy I think over the next few months."

Presentational grey line

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].