Does anyone know who has painted my pub pink? (From Worcester News)

Does anyone know who has painted my pub pink?

11:30pm Friday 27th March 2009 in Local

DRINKERS at a historic Ledbury pub were tickled pink to discover their local had been given a surprise make-over.

Mystery surrounds exactly who covered the Prince of Wales in pink paint early on Tuesday morning, but within a few hours it had attracted sightseers from across the town.

Traders and market stall holders reported seeing two men wearing white overalls and dust masks giving the building its eye-catching new look at about 6.20am.

Manager Les Smith said: “I got here at about 8.30am and thought ‘well, that’s pink’. I went around the other side and that was pink as well.”

He said visitors to the pub had been taking the new look in good humour.

The Grade II listed building is nestled in one of Ledbury’s most historic and picturesque lanes and is known around town for its black-and-white timber frames.

Roger Fletch, owner of the Fletch music and film stall on the market, saw the unknown painters working on the Prince as he set up in the morning. He said: “The lad who does the street cleaning called me over and said ‘look up there, they’re painting the Prince pink’.

“I thought it was just an undercoat because you couldn’t get away with pink up that lane with it being a listed building.”

West Mercia Police spokesman Pete Butcher said: “It appears to be criminal damage from the enquiries that PC Matt Davis has made and possibly the result of a grudge.

“If anyone did see them painting it then they can contact us on 0300 3333000.”