Why does a change of ownership need a change of pub names?

[arthurchappell]

Whatever possessed them to recently change the name of the Deansgate pub, on Deansgate in Manchester, by Deansgate train / tram station to The Smokehouse And Liquor?

New management - fine, but why change the pub name to prove it, and from a decent name to one that is barely memorable too.

The Deansgate sign was a stylish portrait of the street in the 1930's, but the new sign is just the pub name and address - there's progress for you.

[Mobyduck]

Whatever possessed them to recently change the name of the Deansgate pub, on Deansgate in Manchester, by Deansgate train / tram station to The Smokehouse And Liquor?

New management - fine, but why change the pub name to prove it, and from a decent name to one that is barely memorable too.

The Deansgate sign was a stylish portrait of the street in the 1930's, but the new sign is just the pub name and address - there's progress for you.
Its just people trying to put their own stamp on their business , nine times out of ten a recipe for disaster. You quite often see when the name change and new style of a tarted up pub fails, the following management revert to the old name and back to the way the pub was before if not damaged beyond repair.
A pub I used back in the late 70's and early 80's,The Little Crown, a classic two bar boozer ,public and saloon complete with a bottle and jug hatchway in the connecting corridor, it had century's of history behind it, the owners had a brain wave and ripped out the interior of the public bar and recreated the saloon bar, result - two identical bars ,no pool table or duke box and 75% of the customers alienated. The majority of the 75% myself included moved to the Waggon and Horses next door where I still drink to this day. The Little Crown was closed and gone within two years in 1985, a tragedy. The moral of the story is, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

[Aqualung]

Its just people trying to put their own stamp on their business.

It's probably more common for somewhere to get renamed because it was a "trouble" pub. When Antic took over the White Hart at Clapton they called it the Clapton Hart, despite the fact that name hadn't been in use for some 30 years. I'm sure the bright young things that go there now couldn't really care less what it's called.

[Mobyduck]

I'm sure the bright young things that go there now couldn't really care less what it's called.
Your spot on but its a great shame history counts for nothing nowadays

[ROBCamra]

Whatever possessed them to recently change the name of the Deansgate pub, on Deansgate in Manchester, by Deansgate train / tram station to The Smokehouse And Liquor?

New management - fine, but why change the pub name to prove it, and from a decent name to one that is barely memorable too.

The Deansgate sign was a stylish portrait of the street in the 1930's, but the new sign is just the pub name and address - there's progress for you.

The Deansgate hasn't changed its name. The Smokehouse is the restaurant bistro they now have upstairs.

Before being the Deansgate it was Galvin's Irish bar and before that The Crown.

The Crown was its original name, it's only been the Deansgate a couple of years.

http://www.thedeansgate.co.uk/

[Strongers]

I get irritated by pubs that hang a massive banner across the front of the pub for 6+ months that says “UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT”. When does the management become old?

[arthurchappell]

The Deansgate hasn't changed its name. The Smokehouse is the restaurant bistro they now have upstairs.

Before being the Deansgate it was Galvin's Irish bar and before that The Crown.

The Crown was its original name, it's only been the Deansgate a couple of years.

http://www.thedeansgate.co.uk/

the whole pub is now The Smokehouse - the original sign depicting Deansgate in the heyday of tram-travel is now the words only Smokehouse address sign

[NickDavies]

I get irritated by pubs that hang a massive banner across the front of the pub for 6+ months that says “UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT”. When does the management become old?

Sometimes its a blessed relief, we all know pubs which have been rubbish for years, existing for the sole benefit of the always-pissed landlord and his chums and thus left well alone by everyone else. At least you'll give it another chance next time you pass if there's a banner like that.