THE manager of the Swan Hotel in Tarporley has re-installed the old pub sign but there is growing concern over the venue’s future.

Cains brewery, which owns the traditional inn, erected a “garish” new sign at the pub in June. Villagers and parish councillors wrote numerous letters to the brewery complaining that it was “cheap” and not in keeping with the village.

In the same week that the brewery went into administration, the sign was removed and replaced by the old pub sign.

The Swan manager, David Parry, said: “It was us that decided to take down the sign, we did it for the people of Tarporley, because of the negative public opinion about the sign.”

Liverpool company Cains owned 26 freehold and 76 leasehold pubs including the Swan Hotel.

The group ran into cash flow difficulties and blamed the downturn in trade due to the impact of the smoking ban on the pubs and the impact of pricing increases on the brewery.

They had also run up a large debt to HM Revenue and Customs that it could not repay.

The administrators, PricewaterhouseCoopers, have said that more than 50 separate businesses are interested in the brewery.

Tarporley parish councillor Linda Burrows said: “I am delighted that the traditional sign has been returned, it just looks so much better.

“We are all concerned about the future of the pub, but I understand there are a lot of interested parties in the brewery so hopefully the Swan will be OK.

“It is always such a shame when this kind of thing happens.”