Pub sparks Twitter storm after renaming ‘ploughman’s lunch’ to ‘ploughperson’s’

A pub in Devon has provoked a massive response after it elected to change the name of its ploughman’s lunch to a “ploughperson’s” in recognition of the many women who farm in the region.

Dicky Harrison, landlord of The Tors pub in Belstone, Devon, described it as “a bit of fun”, but if social media is anything to go by, many people are failing to see the funny side. The name change was meant as a nod to the many female workers who work in the farming industry in Devon, but many on Twitter seemed to take the news almost as a personal affront.

“A Devon pub changed the name of the lunch ‘Ploughman’s’ to ‘Ploughperson’s’. I’d order that just to send it back.” One Twitter user wrote, while a second added, “A can’t believe I actually read a menu earlier today that had renamed a ploughman’s to a plougPERSON. Surprised they didn’t call it a Personu and not a menu whilst they were at it. Worlds gone made with political correctness man [sic]”.

However, another Twitter user pointed out that the origins of the ploughman’s actually date back to the 1950s as part of a promotion from the Milk Marketing Board to sell more cheese.

“People are forgetting that “Ploughman’s Lunch” is a concept invented by an advertising copywriter in the 1950s to sell more cheese. It’s not a real thing, and it’s time to move on.” The Twitter user wrote.

Dicky Harrison told the Guardian, “It was a bit of fun. We’re on Dartmoor and have lots of friends who are farmers – ladies as well as men – who all work the land. It was a nod to the ladies, without being too political. It wasn’t done to cause offence, but women plough too.

“I’m not really sure what to do now, to be honest – whether to change it or not. It just seemed the right thing to do at the time.”

The ploughperson’s lunch has been on The Tors’ menu for several years, per the Guardian, and comprises Devon cheeses, ham roasted with molasses, pickled onions and sourdough bread.