Sussex pub in row over horse droppings

A row has erupted over horse droppings in a village pub car park near Sussex.
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Rob Cole, landlord of the Black Horse Inn in Nuthurst near Horsham, urged horse riders to clear up after themselves after customers complained about the mess in the car park.

But he didn’t expect to stirrup so much trouble, with furious neighsayers taking to social media to criticise his plans.

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Rob, who said he has run country pubs for more than 20 years, said: “To have people on this wretched social media to go off. It’s preposterous.

The Black Horse Inn is asking customers to clear up their horse's droppings. Photo courtesy of Google Street ViewThe Black Horse Inn is asking customers to clear up their horse's droppings. Photo courtesy of Google Street View
The Black Horse Inn is asking customers to clear up their horse's droppings. Photo courtesy of Google Street View

“If your dog fouls it’s law to clear it up.

“Clear it up or at least ask us to clear it up. It’s just purely a courtesy.”

Daughter Hannah, who has had horses ‘all her life’ added: “It was just a polite request for people who use the car park to clean up after themselves.

“We have had quite a bit of mess in the car park. And we have had quite a few customers comment on it.”

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It wasn’t nice for customers to arrive in the evening and ‘tip toe around animal mess’, she added.

But Hannah said the row had ‘blown up’ on social media.

She added: “Some people seem to have taken real offence.

“Seem to have taken it as ‘you’re not welcome to come here’

“Other people have found it quite reasonable.

“It’s been very mixed there’s been some quite unpleasant comments - it baffles me a little bit as how it can cause so much offence.”

Hannah isn’t expecting customers to bring their own shovels to clear up the mess.

She said: “Just say to us ‘can I just grab the shovel’. It’s absolutely no problem whatsoever.”

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