CONSERVATIONISTS and real ale enthusiasts are campaigning to protect Abingdon’s traditional pub signs.

Brewery bosses at Greene King want to remove pictorial signs from pubs and replace them with ones featuring different images and corporate logos.

But campaigners say this will detract from the town’s history and character and make it a less interesting place to visit.

Carolyn King, a music teacher who lives near the White Horse in Edward Street, said: “We are campaigning against these changes.

“The majority of older pubs of this type traditionally have a pictorial representation of their name displayed outside.

“Having a picture makes a pub easier to identify from a distance, and maintaining an identity for a pub encourages existing customers to keep coming back.”

So far, Greene King has put in applications to amend pub signs at the White Horse in Ock Street, at the Boundary House in Oxford Road, and at the Midget in Midget Close.

Councillors at Vale of White Horse District Council turned down the application for the alteration at the White Horse, and the application for the change at the Boundary House was withdrawn last month.

But the change at the Midget has been passed.

Greene King’s proposed swapping the current White Horse pub sign with the words ‘Greene King’ above an image depicting the White Horse at Uffington, accompanied by the words ‘The White Horse pub and flame grill’.

But councillors rejected the application because it would damage the historic character of the Grade II-listed building.

Although the White Horse application has been rejected campaigners expect more will follow.

Miss King is backed by the Oxford branch of the Campaign for Real Ale; the Friends of Abingdon, a group which aims to preserve the town’s civic traditions; and Abingdon Area Archaeological and Historical Society.

Steven Green, Oxford CAMRA pubs officer, who lives in Abingdon, said: “We think it’s ill-advised to take away these traditional pub signs – it’s a branding exercise.”

Tony Legge, of the Friends of Abingdon, said: “We don’t want to lose our pubs signs and will lobby Greene King on this.”

Greene King press officer Laura Mitchell said: “We are currently upgrading and improving pub signs across the country, as part of extensive investment in our estate.

“This investment includes the roll-out of our family friendly and value for money pub concepts, Flame Grill and Meet & Eat.”