Facebook blocks Blackcock Inn's page for 'racist or offensive language'

Facebook has suspended the official page of The Blackcock Inn, a local pub in the Brecon Beacons, for "racist or offensive language". The manager of the 175-year-old watering hole said the name of the pub, displayed beneath the picture of a black cockerel, might have led to its ban.

In an interview with The Independent, Lee Garrett, who runs the pub with his wife, said, "This is a typical country pub. I know it's a rubbish name but it's been called that since 1840. It's a black cockerel, you know. There are a lot of pubs with the same name."

Garrett apparently received a message informing him of the page's suspension when he tried to log into the pub's Facebook page in November. His repeated attempts since to get the social media ban lifted have been unsuccessful. He claims users are being directed to an automated warning that the page is inaccessible due to offensive content.

Garrett expressed his chagrin over the issue. "Up the road there's a place called the Three Cocks – there's a lot of cock-based names in this area for some reason. I found it hilarious when I first moved here but that's just the kind of place it is," he said.

Speaking about the role a social media presence plays in the survival of the local watering hole, Garrett claimed that the Facebook page had served as a "lifeline". The pub itself is located in a remote area within a community of just about 200 people. The pub's official page served as a way to attract more customers, especially those from outside the community.

Garrett has now created a new Facebook page for the pub. However, the pub manager is still unsure if the new page will be able to reach out to all their previous 500 "friends".