‘Would you punch your ex for a steak?’ pub asks diners

A pub has sparked fury by asking punters if they would punch their ex for a steak on Facebook.

The controversial advert by the George Pub and Grill in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, included a picture of a giant slab of meat.

The pub’s landlord Craig Harker is unapologetic and could now lose his licence as a result.

Facebook users and charities accused Mr Harker of making light of domestic violence.

The social media storm began when the advert was posted on July 27 to the venue’s Facebook page, which has 92,000 followers.

Anti-violence charity White Ribbon Scotland tweeted: ‘It’s a shocking approach to advertising that any business would offer free food as an incentive to undertake violence against an ex partner.

‘It’s not a joke, it’s misogynistic attitudes in practice.’

Head of PR at Women’s Aid Teresa Parker said: ‘Just shocking, domestic abuse is no laughing matter.

‘Not funny to joke about punching your ex in the face, especially to the many survivors of domestic abuse living every day in fear of their ex.

‘With 1 woman getting killed every 4 days in the UK, they are scared for a reason.’

Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham, who reported the advert to the police, added: ‘It’s completely unacceptable language and the owner should take it down immediately.’

Police have spoken to him and the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) said the advert had breached its code.

It emerged that Mr Harker was in trouble before with the ASA for a previous advert which asked people if they would hit their ex partner for a parmo.

The pub’s Facebook page regularly mocks healthy eating and advertises giant steak and burger eating contests.

Mr Harker, 32, has refused to apologise over his advertising, but has removed the post.

He said: ‘Anyone who took offence simply isn’t our clientele and we know our audience

‘To top the madness off, the police have then taken on the request of the MP and are actually investigating The George FB page.

‘Surely with police cuts they have more important things to concentrate on, like the local issues with drugs, knives and thefts – the actual issues in the town.

‘Now the police licencing and council licensing have tag teamed together to try and remove our licence for alcohol and placed us under review.

‘The whole scenario is absolutely laughable when we have never had a police incident in the whole six years of running.

‘This is the PC brigade gone nuts, and the world does not need more political correctness dictating what we can not say.’

A Cleveland Police spokesperson confirmed a meeting between Craig and the force took place on Tuesday.

They added: “Any licence review is dealt with as part of a formal process, and as such, we would not provide a comment outside of that process if any review were to take place.’

Mr Harker said he has to wait to find out if the police or the council revoke his licence.