Locals win fight to keep Wicked Lady

Noble House has decided to retain the name of a pub in Hertfordshire after a vociferous local campaign. The company had planned to change the name of the Wicked Lady ­ between Sandridge and Wheathampstead ­ to the Strawberry Tree as part of a £250,000 plan to turn it into a gastro-pub, But locals were outraged over the plan and wrote to the local paper, the Herts Advertiser, protesting at the move. Linda Lawford, of Luton, said the move would "erode our district's heritage". Now Noble House has changed its mind on the new name and submitted a planning application for new signage ­ but featuring the old name. Noble House marketing director Laurie Morgan said: "We are going to retain the name. We do like to change the name of a pub when it doesn't have a brilliant reputation and the pub has been taking £3,000 a week. "But we understand the Wicked Lady name is a bit of local heritage. We hope that people come and see how different the pub will be inside. The name will be the same but the pub will change drastically.