Linlithgow pub name change an 'attack on town itself' as deadline day looms for Greene King

Today is deadline day for a decision to be finalised on the potential renaming of the Linlithgow pub, The Black Bitch, by Greene King.

On Saturday, protesters took to the streets of the West Lothian town to express their anger over the proposed name change.

Greene King, which has already changed the name of pubs called The Black Boy and The Black's Head, argues the decision has been taken after a dialogue with the pub's landlord Nick Mackenzie.

However, 11,000 people have signed a petition against name change, claiming it's not offensive or racist as has been suggested.

It is said the pub takes its name from the story of a black female hound that would swim across the loch in Linlithgow carrying food to her master, who sentenced her to death.

Alternative names proposed by Greene King include, The Black Hound, The Weedy Drover and the Linlithgow Arms.

Locals have dismissed the above names "out of hand" according to GB News Scotland reporter David Donaldson.

One protester told GB News, "this [the story of the Black Bitch] is part of local folklore, this is the legend of the town and it's also the insinuation that the people of Linlithgow would put up with the name if it was either racist or offensive, which is not.

"They need to do the research Greene King."

Another said: "The Black Bitch has been an important symbol of the town of Linlithgow since the thirteenth century, this is a problem which has got nothing to do with with racism to the people of Linlithgow.

"The expression black bitch is synonymous with the town, it has nothing at all to do with black people or the troubles which black people have experienced in history, it's nothing more than the commemoration of a loyal black greyhound.

"A greyhound that wanted to save its master, nothing more than that, so this is more than just an attack in the pub name.

"It's an attack on the town itself.