A TOWN centre pub is set to reopen with a new name and a new lease of life.

The Old Crown, in Crown Street, has been empty and boarded up for two years but has been refurbished and will open again under one of its former names, The Swinging Witch.

The pub was owned by Punch Taverns but has been bought by north west community pub operator Amber Taverns, which aims to open 30 pubs across the country in the next three years.

While the decorators were stripping the walls of The Old Crown they uncovered an anonymous rhyme about the pub’s history, featuring its varied changes of name and an incident of Northwich’s famous subsidence.

With the name chance to The Swinging Witch, Amber Taverns has added its own third verse to the ditty, featured below.

Amber Taverns has secured £5million funding to take on struggling community pubs and revitalise them to create sustainable businesses.

The funding comes from a £4m revolving credit facility (RCF) from Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Merseyside plus £1m in loan notes from LGV Capital (LGV), the company’s majority shareholders.

Many a name has had this inn

So many I don't know where to begin

It started out as a single Crown

But that was before it was sinking down

Six steps we had to get a drink But now they've gone it makes you think!

The 'Swinging Witch' was next to be

The name of this hostelry

Years went by and lots went on

From which we named it 'Brasserie Couronne'

But times have changed but please don't frown

They've cleaned us up and renamed us The Old Crown

Amber Taverns’ new third verse:

In times of trouble with worries to share

The Crown was closed and in despair

A magic spell cast over the Crown

The hanging sign came crashing down

The Swinging Witch breathed life anew

With frothy pints for me and you!