Designers join campaign to save The Cardinal

The popular sign which is no longer there

Our petition to save the Cardinal Pub is attracting more and more support this week. Today Peter Sheppard and Keith Day, owners of the Friary nearby, sent the following letter to Oliver Smith, Managing Director of Samuel Smith brewery who own the Cardinal. They write:

Dear Mr Smith

As the owners of The Friary at 47 Francis Street, SW1 we are close neighbours of The Cardinal Pub in Victoria which is owned by your company.

The Cardinal is such a landmark in this area that everyone knows of it and its fame is part of its charm. Renaming it, even if it is reverting to its original name we are sure will be unlucky, as the pubs in Pimlico which have done that have lost their identity and have emptied.

Our design company was responsible for the rebranding of Mitchells and Butlers when it demerged from Intercontinental, and while it has had many problems, the decision to use the old name was correct.

May I add our names to the many people who live, work and worship round here and implore you to retain the Cardinal name and branding for our local rather than imposing a new one on us.

After all, it is highly memorable and colourful - there isn't another Cardinal Pub that we've heard of while there are plenty of boring nondescript pub names such as the one you want to resurrect - I can't even think of its name.

Land Securities were pleased to name their multi-million pound shopping and commercial centre in Victoria Street, Cardinal Place. This name was thoroughly researched and so its odd that just as they have coined it, your company is abandoning it.

We are looking forward to the pub opening again and hope you will want to retain the good will of your locals who often drink in The Cardinal. If you don't listen, you may well antagonise all those regulars because you are not interested in your customers' views.

Yours sincerely



Peter Sheppard and Keith Day

TO SIGN THE PETITION see: www.ipetitions.com/petition/cardinal/

For more information visit: www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=17993

For details of The Friary, see: www.thefriarysw1.co.uk/