Cardinal Pub - response from brewers

It is more than two weeks since we sent a parcel containing a petition with more than 1000 names, some representing groups, to Samuel Smith Brewers, asking for the name of the Cardinal Pub in Francis Street, Westminster to be retained.

(A small notice on the pub, which is currently undergoing refurbishment, says that when it reopens it will be reverting to its original name, the Windsor Castle.)

 Numerous journalists have left messages for the brewer’s press officer, Simon, asking for a comment – but he has not responded.

There has been no consultation with customers.

Today, a small gossip piece in the Independent newspaper, says that the pub will be reopening under the new name. It refers to the fact that ‘Cardinal Manning was a teetotaller’ and implies this as a reason for the name change.

Campaigners would like to point out that the name ‘the Cardinal’ does not refer specifically to any one person. In fact the old pub sign had a picture of the cardinal bird on one side. Inside the old pub there were paintings and signed photographs of many of our past Cardinals.

There have been 16 cardinals since 1829 when it became legal for Catholics to practice their faith in the UK. They were: Thomas Weld, Charles Januarius Acton, Nicholas Wiseman, Henry Edward Manning, Edward Henry Howard, John Henry Newman, Herbert Vaughan, Francis Bourne, Francis Aidan Gasquet, Arthur Hinsley, Bernard Griffin, William Godfrey, William Theodore Heard, John Carmel Heenan, Basil Hume, Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.

Cardinal Manning was responsible for acquiring the land on which Westminster Cathedral was built in 1907, and exceptionally popular with Londoners for his work with the poor. So it would be appropriate for his picture to be on a pub sign. If he were alive today and the pub were open, one would hope Sam Smith’s would be able to offer him a choice of soft drinks, tea or coffee. (We trust that they are not also reverting to serving men only and sawdust on the floor.)

Another candidate for the pub sign of course, would be Blessed Cardinal Newman, who was beatified last year.

We feel changing this pub name would be a real loss to the community and an erosion of the Christian presence in the area, and are hoping that the owners change their mind. The petition continues.

To sign our on line SAVE THE CARDINAL petition, please go to: www.ipetitions.com/petition/cardinal/

To contact the brewers write to: The Old Brewery, High St, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire LS24 9SB
tel: 01937 832 225