I am in total agreement with Stephen Simpson (Letters, September 15) concerning the renaming of pubs.

The people responsible must be either totally ignorant of the meaning and history behind the original names, or they just don't care.

For some time now I have despaired over idiotic names such as the Sir Loyn of Beef or No Man's an Island and I feel things are out of control and could only be improved by planning permission being made necessary.

The pub in question actually displays three names.

First, the latest stupid one The Biscuit Factory, second the Nan Tuck's Tavern, which is probably too high up on the building to remove, and, third, the longstanding traditional name The Wick which is emblazoned across the splendid engraved windows.

Some renamings have now been around for some time and, as such, are accepted by many people but are not right, as the previous names meant something in our history.

Names such as The Brunswick and The Volunteer have disappeared and not for the benefit of Brighton.

A few such as The Eagle and The Millers have actually reverted to their previous names, while Polar Central has been renamed five times to my knowledge.

It all makes me wonder how people would react to The Cricketers, the oldest pub in Brighton, being called Look After Your Broom or something else as ridiculous.

These people are damaging the history of Brighton and Hove and should not be allowed to do it. After all, it's not the name that's important, it's what is inside and the way it is run that matter. Let's make a new law that renamings of historical buildings should be subject to planning permission, a move which might have helped the Palace Pier.

-PD Guy, Hove