Follow Up On A Follow Up:Balmbra's

Yesterday i received what will probably be my last communication on the subject.Here it is-







Dear Mr. Iluvnufc
many thanks for your email to our Guest Services Department regarding Balmbra's.


The background to the refurbishment and the name is as follows:


When we made the decision to refurbish the pub as one of our Reflex bars, we were obviously not in possession of the full facts, and were unaware of the place that Balmbra's occupies at the heart of Geordie culture. Once this was made clear to us, we had no hesitation in agreeing to keep the name alive and prominent on the building.





Thus the bar will now be known as Balmbra's Reflex and we are currently working with our designers to ensure that the signage gives the Balmbra's name the prominence it deserves. The existing hanging sign and history plaque will remain.





This new Reflex bar is a replacement for one that we have recently closed in Newgate Street, Newcastle and it is important to our business that some element of the well-recognised and popular Reflex branding is there to reassure our existing customers and to attract new ones. We hope, however, that the two elements of the name - the history and heritage of Balmbra's and the music and entertainment of Reflex - will co-exist comfortably.





I hope this explains our position.





Janice Clark


Public Relations Manager


Mitchells & Butlers






So,they are going to keep the sign.Still seems wishy-washy to me.


Despite all that has been said,it most cases of renaming pubs,most people still use the old names anyway.


A lot depends on how successful the pub is,because if it makes lots of money,they will just drop the Balmbra's name anyway and if it does'nt do well they will drop the Reflex bit.