(Image: UGC)
A joke displayed in a pub toilet has sparked a public backlash and accusations of misogyny.
The sign, spotted in the men’s toilets at The Royal Shepherd Inn on Canal Street in Skipton, led to customers being asked to leave the pub after they raised concerns about its content.
It read: "Why do women wear underwear? Because health and safety says all manholes not in use must be covered."
An anonymous person who contacted the T&A's sister paper The Craven Herald said: "The Royal Shepherd Inn on Canal Street is facing online backlash after my brother and his partner were asked to leave the pub for raising concerns about an offensive sign in the venue.
A joke which was written on a sign in the men's toilet of The Royal Shepherd in Skipton
"When they brought the sign to staff's attention, they were told it was 'just a joke,' accused of being too 'woke' and asked to leave.
"Following the incident, the pub doubled down on social media, posting publicly that they had found the 'first two customers to be offended' by the sign."
A sign behind the bar at The Royal Shepherd in Skipton
The source said their brother spotted the sign while having drinks on a night out with his partner and was shocked by it.
They said: "They mentioned it to the bar staff but did not get the response they expected.
"They shouldn’t have something like that on display.
"It’s not appropriate and is even more offensive.
The Royal Shepherd, on Canal Street, in Skipton (Image: UGC)
"They then put a post on Instagram."
One person on social media called it "not at all funny", while another described it as "abhorrent."
The anonymous person described both the toilet sign and another sign behind the bar, 'The Man's Guide Love and Lasting Relationships', as "misogynistic".
They said: "I was shocked and a bit surprised by the old school mentality.
"This shouldn’t be happening anymore.
"Their response saying it was only a joke and calling someone 'woke' and then doubling down on it online was a mistake on their part."
A spokesperson for The Royal Shepherd, speaking on behalf of owner Josephine Shutt, said the joke was not intended to cause offence.
The spokesperson said: "It was a tongue-in-cheek joke written in happiness.
Mrs Shutt, who put the sign on the toilet wall, apologised and said the joke was not meant to offend.
The pub spokesperson said: "But they have waged war on the business and are trying to damage it.
"This could put another pub out of business and put six people on job seekers’ allowance.
"They also did criminal damage to the property.
"They destroyed the signage."
The spokesperson alleged that the joke board was ripped from the wall and that another sign behind the bar was also damaged.
They said: "We’ve reported the criminal damage and harassment.
"The owner is a 67-year-old woman.
"It’s disgraceful behaviour over a joke.
"Mrs Shutt has been in the pub business for over 30 years.
"The sign was behind her bar for 16 years at The Station Inn at Ribblehead and has now been here at The Royal Shepherd for seven years.
"Mrs Shutt is now a widow and bought the sign for her husband, Allan.
"Never once has there been a complaint about it until now.
"We’re an old world pub and Mrs Shutt has had 30 years of experience in the industry.
"That joke is a play on words.
"The thing is with comedy, not everybody is going to like it.
"It’s their right to take offence, but if you don’t like it, then just move on.
"To badger her personally is pretty disgraceful behaviour."
Mrs Shutt was previously the licensee of Ribblehead's Station Inn, where she helped deliver a premature baby in 2018.