A perplexed Bradford landlady has called time on a damaging mix-up over pub names.

Frances Spencer says takings at her Odsal pub have dropped since people confused her hostelry with a similar-named one where the landlord quit earlier this month, with Bradford Council getting caught up in the muddle.

And she wants to put out the message that The Northern in Halifax Road is very much open for business.

Problems arose after the Telegraph & Argus ran a story about The Great Northern in Halifax Road, Ingrow, Keighley.

“For some reason, people seem to think my pub is closing,” said Mrs Spencer. “We even had a team from the Council wanting to take away our bins. Even they thought we were shutting down.”

In the first week after the story was published, Mrs Spencer says her takings dropped.

“It has steadied a bit since, but people are still confused,” she said. “They have obviously seen ‘Northern’ and ‘Halifax Road’ and got mixed up. We have had people with party bookings ringing to check on the situation – worried their celebrations might be at risk."