A pub has hit back after being labelled "The Golden Karen" in a row over people using its toilets.
The Golden Lion on Moor Street, Ormskirk, placed a chalk board outside the pub this week with a message asking people who were not dining to use public toilets elsewhere. The sign read: "We are not a public toilet. Nearest is bus station or M&S carpark" with a smiley face at the end."
The sign was posted anonymously on social media and immediately people started commenting on it with one calling it "snotty" and another "not a nice welcome" for visitors to the area. The pub released a statement a short time later adding that it had been struggling with the "absolute mess" people have been leaving the toilets in.
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The pub added it had tried to manage the situation by allowing people to use the toilet if they donated to charity, which did not work.
The statement from The Golden Lion said: "We are sorry that you are all offended by our sign but sadly you do not see the amount of people that come in each day to use our toilet and leave it an absolute mess. Many of you have commented on the standard of our toilets and people coming in who aren’t customers are often leaving the toilet in worst states unfortunately.
"We did try asking people for a charity donation to use the toilet however nobody adhered to this and it is getting progressively harder to manage with around 20 people a day coming in to use it. We try to be as accommodating as we can and of course we let parents bring their children in should they need the toilet and people who otherwise not be able to wait but most of these people ask politely when they come in which we appreciate, unlike others.
"Again we’re sorry that many of you are upset by this and we hope the anonymous poster along with anybody else can message us should there be any further concerns, we really are a friendly bunch and do take on board your opinions despite what you may think about our sign."
Following the statement the pub was dubbed the "Golden Karen" by some members of the public, while others leapt to support the owners saying they "don't have to explain" why they put the sign in the street.
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