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Provocative pork promo pulled after Pork & Co takeaway in Canterbury fears a roasting from cathedral

Canterbury's newest takeaway has been forced to ditch a sexually suggestive marketing slogan – by worried officials at Canterbury Cathedral.

Sam Deeson made a pig’s ear of marketing his new food joint Pork & Co – which will sell pulled pork rolls – when he had T-shirts printed for staff with the motto: “Your pleasure is hand pulled.”

Fans on Twitter congratulated him for the innuendo, but the ham-fisted attempt at humour did not go down well with bosses at the Cathedral.

Sam Deeson at Pork and Co in Sun Street, Canterbury
Sam Deeson at Pork and Co in Sun Street, Canterbury

They own the shop in Sun Street, just yards away from the Christ Church Gate, and have asked Mr Deeson to chop the cheeky catchphrase in case it offends worshippers or visitors.

Cathedral spokesman Christopher Robinson says: “Pork & Co will be opening next week and the property is owned by the Cathedral.

“The Cathedral was not consulted about the marketing of the new business and we have now had a brief discussion with the owner.

“We do not want to be too po-faced about this but, likewise, we would not want the public to be offended; nor would Sam, as that would be bad for business!

The slogan was deemed too saucy by cathedral bosses
The slogan was deemed too saucy by cathedral bosses

“I understand that the marketing for Pork & Co is now being reviewed and that a different slogan will be chosen soon.”

Mr Deeson, who also runs Deeson’s restaurant next door to his new business, says he does not want to upset anyone.

Pork and Co's Twitter page, with the slogan
Pork and Co's Twitter page, with the slogan

He says: “I think whether it will cause offence depends on the mind of the person, but I don’t want to make the Cathedral’s life difficult.

“We have a really good relationship with them, and wouldn’t want to jeopardise that in anyway. And we don’t want to upset anyone.

“I will probably still use the T-shirts at events and festivals where the clientele will be different, but I’ll have to think of another slogan for the shop.”

“We do not want to be too po-faced about this but, likewise, we would not want the public to be offended; nor would Sam, as that would be bad for business!" - Christopher Robinson

Pork & Co will launch in the former site of the Shake Shed on Monday, and the first 200 customers will be given a free pork roll.

As well as hog roast and pulled pork, the shop will also sell porchetta, which Mr Deeson describes as “Italy’s most iconic dish”.

He said: “Pork & Co follows on from what we already do at Deeson’s. We’ll use rare-breed pigs from our own smallholding and two Kentish farmers.

“Street food is so big now, so we thought we’d give it a go. I want people to share their opinions and give us feedback about it.

“We’re just putting the final touches to the shop now, which looks pretty amazing. It’s almost finished – we just have to come up with a new slogan.”

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