Animal rights group Peta is attempting to persuade one of Britain's oldest pubs to change its name to something that is less offensive to chickens.

In its latest campaign, the controversial group asks that Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, in St Albans, Hertfordshire, is renamed to Ye Olde Clever Cocks "in recognition of society’s growing compassion for animals and in celebration of intelligent, sensitive chickens".

The eighth century pub, which is in the Guinness Book of Records as the UK's oldest, has had its current name since 1872 due to its history of cock fighting, a sport which was banned outright in England and Wales in 1835.

Special projects manager Dawn Carr sent an open letter to the chief executive of Mitchells and Butlers, and pub landlord Christo Tofalli, urging them to rethink their association with cock fighting.

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks pub in St Albans, Hertfordshire (Google Maps)

As well as listing a number of claimed chicken traits, such as a love of sunbathing and a capacity for structural engineering, Carr urged the pub owners to celebrate a "fascinating but often abused and misunderstood animal".

Peta campaigns in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Anti-fur protestors from Peta are seen on the runway at the Julien MacDonald fashion show as part of London Fashion Week in September 2006 MJ Kim/Getty Images Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures The poster from the animal rights group PETA PETA Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Animals on the mind: Staunch PETA supporter Morrissey casually poses with a cat on his head for one particularly literal campaign PETA Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Helen Flanagan poses beside a poster featuring her wearing reptile skin, to promote a PETA campaign, in Covent Garden PA Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Skin trade: PETA protests against Canadian seal hunting AFP / GETTY IMAGES Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures A member of the 'Taiji Dolphin Action Group' curls up on a sheet depicting the Japanese flag, during a protest against the killing of dolphins Getty Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) gather to lie in a heap in Trafalgar Square to raise awareness on World Vegan Day PA Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Ingrid Newkirk outside Fortnum & Mason with a bloodied mouth and feeding tube Peta Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures A member of the association 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (Peta) demonstrates to denounce the way birds' livers are fatten during the foie gras production Getty Images Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Peta's leader protesting against fur in Paris in 2006 AFP Peta campaigns in pictures Peta campaigns in pictures Protesting against Canadian seal hunting AP

Carr added: "We understand that the pub has long been called Ye Olde Fighting Cocks and that there may be some resistance to making a name change, but just as many pubs with names tied to slavery changed their names to match modern sensibilities, so it’s high time for The Cocks to change.

"If you must stick with tradition, you could revert to the much kinder name from 1756: Three Pigeons."

Landlord Christo Tofalli told the Herts Advertiser that he had a responsibility for preserving the history and heritage of the "oldest pub in the country".