A business owner is facing a social media backlash after using an offensive term to describe a former mining town in County Durham.

Residents of Stanley have rounded on Tina Ion, who co-owns the Italian eatery, Osteria Antonio and made a controversial Facebook post referring to the area as ‘Afghanistanley’.

The 46-year-old, who took over the restaurant in September, said it was a term she had not heard before and it came about after a light-hearted conversation with customers on Friday evening.

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In her post, Tina, who is originally from Romania, said: “We are testing the market as we might move in Consett or Newcastle.

“Afghanistanley is a little rough for the standards we try to offer but even if it does happen it won't be soon (I wish).

“So we will still be here for the nice weather to open the beer garden and do barbecues outside.”

The Northern Echo: One of the exchanges on FacebookOne of the exchanges on Facebook (Image: Facebook)

The post garnered a lot of attention in community Facebook groups over the weekend with people asking if it was a publicity stunt or the restaurant was copying the Karen’s Diner brand where staff are deliberately rude to customers.

Others cannot understand why a business owner would make a post that would inevitably upset their customer base.

Leanne Smith wrote: “Have you really lost the plot?

“You’re just antagonising a large community. Not doing your business any good at all.”

Tina, who said the couple had experienced a difficult start to running their business, said her post was being taken out of context and was just part of her ‘wicked sense of humour’.

Beth Highley wrote: “I've seen one of the posts in no way, shape or form was it "taken out of context"

“What you wrote was disgusting and offensive to most.”

Helen Taylor said she had not changed her mind about trying the restaurant, despite good reviews from friends.

She said: “I’m afraid I won’t be setting foot in your restaurant after reading some of your comments last night, wow just wow!!!

“I'll take my hard-earned cash elsewhere. I don’t think you have done yourself or your business any favours at all with your comments.”

Tina appeared to then take a defiant stance by advertising a special Afghan pizza made with spicy chicken.

She then posted: “I apologise for the derogatory name calling.

“I realise now that Afghanistan this sounds offensive.

“To the people in Afghanistan.”

Tina, a mother-of-one, who runs the restaurant in Hotel 52, a former care home, with her partner, Antonio Grandieri, who is also 46.

The pair moved from Italy, where he is from, in 2018 and settled in Newcastle.

They used their savings to start the business and wanted to open a high-end Italian restaurant using quality ingredients.

The Northern Echo: Authentic Italian cuisine is created by Antonio Grandieri Authentic Italian cuisine is created by Antonio Grandieri (Image: Osteria Antonio)

Tina said they have struggled with staff taking advantage of them by expecting free food for themselves and their families and been on receiving end of fake negative reviews by people attempting to harm their business.

She said made the ‘Afghanistanley’ post as a joke and thought it would be taken in the self-deprecating way it was intended.

Tina said: “I heard this expression from people in Stanley and we were having fun, laughing at the bar about it.

“They were saying they call it Afghanistanley. They said: ‘Your food is beautiful but maybe it is not in the right town.

“It is full of skint people and you should try to open somewhere else. They said we should buy cheap ingredients and just serve lots of chips with cheese.

“But we are Italians and we really care about making food. My partner is a chef and he wants his food to be art. We don’t want to compromise.

“The expression just sounded really funny.”

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Tina said the couple may now have to sell their business and leave the town but she does hope people will judge ‘using their tastebuds’ based on the standard of the food.

She said: “I do understand people are taking it out of context and I understand people feel offended but without the background people do not understand fully.

“I know it is fun to have a common enemy, especially in small towns.”