Horsham pub revives The Green Dragon name after years as The Olive Branch

Ethan Fairweather

A familiar name returns

One of Horsham’s best-known pub names is coming back. The Olive Branch, in the Bishopric, is set to revert to The Green Dragon—restoring a sign locals kept using long after the official name changed. It’s a move that folds the venue’s identity back into the town’s shared memory, where the old name never really left.

The pub has worn a few badges over the years. Originally The Green Dragon, it later became The Olive Branch as owners tried to refresh its image and audience. Even so, the informal vote on the street stayed stubbornly the same: people still called it the Green Dragon when giving directions, meeting friends, or booking a taxi.

There was also a high-profile chapter under Australian restaurateur Andrew Crompton, who rebadged the site as “Crompton’s at The Olive Branch.” Crompton—formerly operations manager at South Lodge Hotel in Lower Beeding—brought a brighter, Antipodean touch to the menu and service. He was joined by former South Lodge colleague Kim Neaves and head chef Andy Collard, blending hotel polish with a town-centre pub setting.

The decision to step back into The Green Dragon brand signals a clear priority: reconnect with what the community already recognises. For businesses built on regulars and word of mouth, identity isn’t just the sign over the door; it’s how people talk about you in everyday life. When the spoken name and the official name diverge, everything from social searches to delivery apps and event listings gets a little harder.

Practically, the switch means new signage and a tidy-up of digital listings, from maps to social pages. Expect fresh branding—perhaps even a classic green-dragon signboard—to reflect the change. Licensing paperwork typically isn’t a hurdle for a name-only update, though external signage may need advertisement consent. The point is less bureaucracy than clarity: make it easy for people to find the pub they already believe they know.

Location matters, too. The Bishopric is a busy stretch near Horsham’s centre, with steady footfall and a mix of shops and homes. In a spot like this, where locals pass daily and habits stick, a familiar name can pull more weight than a shiny new concept. The Green Dragon fits the setting: it sounds lived-in and local, which is exactly how many residents seem to think of the place.

Why heritage branding matters

Across the UK, pubs have spent the past two decades trying new concepts to survive tighter margins and changing tastes. Some rebrands worked. Others missed, drifting away from the stories that made these places local anchors in the first place. In recent years, we’ve seen more venues restore historic names as a way to rebuild trust and reclaim their patch of cultural ground.

Groups like CAMRA have long argued that heritage—names, interiors, and traditions—helps pubs stay relevant by keeping them rooted in community life. That doesn’t mean ignoring modern tastes. It means recognising that the name over the door can carry decades of memory. In towns like Horsham, those memories are part of how people navigate and connect.

There’s a business angle, too. The name people actually say into their phones is the one that should appear on digital listings. That alignment reduces friction for customers and strengthens search visibility. Tourists and day-trippers often prefer places that sound authentic, and a centuries-style pub name like The Green Dragon does exactly that—instantly legible, comfortably British, easy to remember.

For staff and management, reverting can simplify the story they tell tableside. Instead of explaining a newer brand every time someone asks, they can lean into familiarity. Regulars don’t need persuading; they just need their local to feel like itself. That alignment can lift everything from event attendance to Sunday lunch bookings.

As for what changes beyond the sign, nothing official suggests a total overhaul of the offer. The shift appears focused on identity rather than a new concept or ownership model. Menus evolve, teams move on, and lineups change in any hospitality business. The name, though—that’s a promise. When it matches what the town already says out loud, it tends to stick.

In short, the pub is doing what many locals did all along: calling the place by the name that feels right. For a Horsham pub in a familiar stretch of the Bishopric, that’s The Green Dragon. Expect the new-old name to appear on boards and apps in the coming weeks—right where residents have kept it, quietly, for years.