News

The Lord Raglan is to lose the Lord from its name
advertisement

Historical Raglan pub to ditch ‘Lord’

By Victoria Smith
April 20, 2012

Campaigning historians have called for a town centre pub to retain its full name because it pays tribute to a Crimean war hero.

The Lord Raglan pub, in Denmark Street, Wokingham, has applied for permission to install new signs, with a change of name to The Raglan, around the listed building.

However, the proposal has sparked an objection from The Wokingham Society, which is concerned about the change of colour on the signs and the loss of the word ‘Lord’ from the name.

Hazel Guile, a member of the society, said: “Historically retaining signage and logo is part of the building’s identity within the town.

“Traditional pubs should retain their given name, but more and more are being lost as breweries attempt to modernise and update their premises without appreciating the historical background.

“The word ‘Lord’ has been removed from the pub sign when it has a link to the pub’s origins.

“This pub was named after Lord Raglan, a famous cavalry commander, following the Crimean War.

“He also invented the loose style of jumper called the Raglan sleeve.

“It is felt that the name should be retained in full.”

She added that the new colours, which include a dark mushroom, are “depressing and do not enhance the building”.

In plans submitted to Wokingham Borough Council, the Great Little Pub Company, which owns The Lord Raglan, says the existing signs are damaged and need to be replaced to prevent damage to the building.

Grey Sergeant, managing director of the Great Little Pub Company, said the company wanted to blend the pub’s tradition with the refurbishment of the inside of the building.

He said: “I have had the business for 10 years and everyone within Wokingham refers to the pub as The Raglan.

“As everyone knows it as The Raglan, moving the name to The Raglan Pub and Kitchen is more what people recognise it as. It is an opportunity to do that.

“We’ve had a major refurbishment inside and we need to match that to a refurbishment of the outside.”

The Lord Raglan building was originally three cottages in the early 19th Century and became a beer house in 1838. It is one of several Wokingham pubs names to commemorate the Crimean War. The name was first recorded in 1859.

The deadline for comments on the plan is Wednesday, May 2.

| View Comments (8)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Most recent user comments 8 of 8

How many people for example know that The Three Frogs is built on the the site of the original Frog Hall Manor and contains some of the original manor within its structure? It is haunted by a coach that went missing on the London Road many years ago and is said to ride past every year. Most of Wokingham's pubs have similar history of which they could take some advantage.

If the town is to survive as a living centre we need to do everything that we can to attract people into it. A historic pub guide could be one small step in the right direction. However we must stop atempts to destroy that history by for example changing the names of the pubs.

PoneRana, Wokingham
23/04/2012 at 12:50

Please retain the word "Lord" in the name of the pub. While you are at it, the food needs to be improved. The hotel used to serve very nice meals,however on a recent visit I was served very poor quality food which was over priced. Colin.

colin humphrey, Hobart Tasmania
22/04/2012 at 03:53

I agree that the blue plaque scheme should be extended as described by PoneRana. There are numerous old photos in The Ship with their history which I personally find very interesting. Great idea. Over to you Peter at the Wokingham Society

Stig2, Wokingham
20/04/2012 at 21:42

Here Here re the pavement advertising. Pavements are for people.

Ivor Biggun, winnersh
20/04/2012 at 15:46

If anything is to be removed from the Lord Raglan it should be the A-frames on the pavement that block a fairly narrow pavement.

PoneRana, Wokingham
20/04/2012 at 15:19

For Wokingham to retain its attraction it needs to retain as much of its history as possible. The retention of historic pub names is a small but critical step in this direction. The loss of the Rose which had a long and varied history in the town was an unfortunate nail in this coffin.

I would like to see the Wokingham Society going beyond the blue plaque scheme by encouraging historic premises within the borough to install boards recounting their history in their entrances.

PoneRana, Wokingham
20/04/2012 at 15:17

Agreed Peter.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
20/04/2012 at 11:47

It would be a shame if the name is changed, one more bit of history and town heritage lost. But compared with the plans WBC have to wreck the town I guess its nothing ....