1 week Ago
There are many pubs that have changed names and owners across Suffolk, we asked readers whether they preferred the old or new names given to five pubs across the county. The names of the pubs changed for a number of reasons - from recognising an important event or person in the area, to a different style and owner of the pub. Here are the results from the polls on the pub names: The Weavers Tap, formerly The Silkworm In total there were 37 answers to the poll on the pub that is now called The Weavers Tap.
Despite the pub being popular after its £325,000 transformation in 2018 , readers preferred the original name The Silkworm. Out of the 37 answers 14 liked The Weavers Tap, but 23 preferred The Silkworm. The Deben Seal, formerly The Duke of York After changing owners and transforming into a pub that specialises in Mediterranean food, The Duke of York changed to The Deben Seal.
The new name is connected to an old pub which used to be nearby in Woodbridge, but readers were still in favour of the previous option. Although it was closer than the previous change, 31 people preferred The Duke of York as a name, with 22 liking The Deben Seal name more. The Dog and Partridge, briefly the Flame Grill The Dog and Partridge is owned by the Greene King group, who attempted to rename the pub to the Flame Grill.
After criticism and backlash by locals the name was changed back after it was argued that the Flame Grill name was not in keeping with the area or the building. This poll was far from close with 41 of the 43 people who voted preferring the Dog and Partridge name, and only two liking the Flame Grill. The Royal Oak, formerly The Kicking Donkey Although this pub is now known as The Royal Oak, it is still referred to as The Dickie, which is dates back to its old name The Kicking Donkey.
The word dickie can be used for an informal name for a donkey in Suffolk dialect, and The Kicking Donkey was the preferred name for readers. Out of the 42 that voted, 23 chose The Kicking Donkey, with 19 picking The Royal Oak. The Arbor House, formerly The Arboretum Hotel Both the current and previous names of this pub pay homage to the arboretum in the nearby Christchurch Park.
On the list this is the closest poll where readers preferred the new name, The Arboretum Hotel , compared to The Arbor House. From the 41 votes, 21 liked the old name more, and 20 liked The Arbor House..
