Pony proves lucrative for pub

For many licensees a customer complaint spells trouble and takes up valuable time to resolve.

But for Graham Wheatley and Craig Thomas, licensees at the Port O'Call in Marshfield, South Glamorgan, their latest complaint has boosted the business beyond their wildest dreams.

Two weeks ago retired merchant navy officer and pub regular Tony Manton entered the Port O'Call with his pony Mountain Mist for a pint. Mr Wheatley banned the pony on health and safety grounds.

Last Wednesday a story appeared in the local paper featuring an aggrieved Tony Manton and the barred Mountain Mist. Since then, the Port O'Call has been besieged by the national media, including appearances on Sky News and BBC Radio Five Live.

"He has done us a favour," explained Mr Wheatley. "A lot of our customers think it's hilarious. He was down on Saturday morning with the pony and Sky News. He had a pint of Guinness outside but I wouldn't let the pony in.

"A lot of people coming in over the weekend said they had heard of us on the telly and on the Internet."

When Mr Wheatley and Mr Thomas took over the Port O'Call last November they converted it from a traditional local boozer to an upmarket food destination pub. As a result, many of the previous regulars, including Tony Manton, who was allowed to bring the two-year-old in by the pub's former landlord, have since stopped drinking there.

"Anyone with any common sense would realise a bar isn't the place for a pony", added Mr Wheatley. "Having animals in a pub is just not on nowadays. Imagine if it kicked out with children running around or made a mess."