Plans to relaunch the Royal Standard pub in Wallingford as the Old Father Thames have been criticised by councillors who feel the old name is part of the town's heritage.

But the new licensees of the St Mary's Street pub claim a complete change of image is needed to escape the venue's reputation for under-age drinking, drugs and violence.

Police said there had been problems when the pub, which closed at the weekend for a six-week £250,000 refurb- ishment, had been run by a former landlord.

It will re-open as a pub restaurant aimed at families.

Town councillors, though, are unhappy it will lose the name it has had for more than a century. Deputy mayor Betty Atkins, speaking at a town council meeting, said the new name was horrendous.

She said: "This is a royalist town. The Royal Standard is obviously linked with the old history of the town.

"The Old Father Thames -- it's pathetic, it's just naff, it's horrible.

"I mean, it's not even by the river."

Town mayor Theresa Jordan also opposed the name change.

New licensee James Wood, who became tenant landlord at the Royal Standard last autumn with business partner Andrew Sparkes, said a new image was needed and there was no room for discussion about names.

He added: "The people making the complaint should come in and use the pub more often and shouldn't have let it get into the state it's in."