Empty Hertfordshire pub gets cheeky name changes Published duration 5 October 2018

image copyright Daniel Newcombe-Williams image caption The Boar's Head in Royston is currently Oh Bad Arse after a brief stint as The Hoar's Bed and The Hoar's Bead

In a scene straight out of Fawlty Towers, an empty pub in Hertfordshire is being given cheeky name changes.

The Boar's Head in Royston is currently Oh Bad Arse after a brief stint as The Hoar's Bed.

People have been stopping to take photos of the pub, with some saying it is the work of "the Royston Banksy".

Councillor Tom Perry said it would have "lent an interesting colour" to council meetings had official permission been sought.

image copyright Daniel Newcombe-Williams image caption Some of the recent guises of The Boar's Head

The Boar's Head was sold by Greene King in January and remains vacant.

Daniel Newcombe-Williams, aged 28 from the town, said people were calling the name changes the work of "the Royston Banksy".

Mr Newcombe-Williams, who works at another pub nearby, said locals had jokingly referred to the pub as The Hoar's Bed for many years and people were finding the new prank "hilarious".

image caption Basil would be proud - Fawlty Towers had a new name at the start of every episode

The lettering is understood to have first changed about a month ago, before being converted again about two weeks later.

The changes are reminiscent of TV classic Fawlty Towers, which, at the start of every episode, had a new name on its sign.

Mr Perry said: "I can't speak on behalf of Royston Town Council as a whole, but had planning permission been sought for these signage changes I personally think it would have lent an interesting colour to our next planning committee meeting."

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image copyright Google image caption The Boar's Head was sold by Greene King earlier this year

According to the Campaign for Real Ale's What Pub? guide, there has been a licensed premises at the site since the reign of King George III.

The BBC has been unable to contact the new owners of the pub.