Neighbour complains about pub's 'racist' name

By Matt Eley Matt

- Last updated on GMT

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A pub has just re-opened its doors to the public but only after being accused of having a racist name by a neighbour. Lucy and Mark Barron-Reid were...

A pub has just re-opened its doors to the public but only after being accused of having a racist name by a neighbour.

Lucy and Mark Barron-Reid were shocked to pick up a telephone message from a disgruntled local complaining that the name they had picked for their Kent pub - the Black Pig - was a racial slur.

The complainer even raised the matter with the local council.

Lucy said: "We got the message on the phone and we just thought it was ridiculous. It never even occurred to us that people could think it was racist.

"Obviously we intend to keep the name. We had to change it from the previous one - the Kent Cricketer - because its reputation had suffered and it needed a new image.

"Obviously the name isn't racist, it was just picked because we saw a pub with the same name years ago and Mark really liked it.

"There are loads of pubs with names like the Black Sheep etc plus the Black Pig is the name of Captain Pugwash's ship which is another reason we liked it."

The council took the same view as the owners and have refused to get involved in the spat.

The Black Pig, in Hawkhurst, is the couple's second pub. The other is the Bull and Benenden in Kent

Lucy said the racial accusations had not put a dampener on their first weekend of trading.

"We were really pleased with the way it went on the opening weekend.

"As well as serving local food we are selling Kent and Sussex lagers and ales. Much of our wine is from the area as well.

"It was a bit of risk but it appears to be going well at this stage."

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