Westminster: What is happening to The Cardinal Pub?

The Cardinal shrouded in scaffolding yesterday

The Cardinal public house, in Francis Street near Archbishops House, has been a popular watering-hole for parishioners of Westminster Cathedral for many years.

For some time now the building has been closed for refurbishment, and it has come to the attention of Independent Catholic News that when it re-opens, it will be reverting back to its original name: The Windsor Castle.

Retired diplomat Michael Elmer told ICN: "The Cardinal has been part of the social life of Westminster Cathedral for decades. I believe it was named after Cardinal Manning, who showed such great support for the Dockers Strike of 1889. He lived nearby."

When he died, (before Westminster Cathedral was built) more than 100,000 queued to pay their last respects as the funeral cortege passed on the way to his Requiem Mass at the Brompton Oratory.

Mr Elmer said the old Cardinal pub had a display of paintings of Cardinal Manning and other church figures. He said: "It would be interesting to know whether these will still be in the refurbished pub - and if not - whether it would be possible for the Church to acquire them."

A spokeswoman for Harries Hagan Solicitors, representing the pub's owners told ICN she would be making enquiries on our behalf. Watch this space.

UPDATE: We now have a petition. To sign go to: "SAVE THE CARDINAL PUB"
www.ipetitions.com/petition/cardinal/