LAST week the Evening Press reported that Alf Durrant, landlord of the Poacher in Acomb, York, only learned that his pub was earmarked for demolition from a customer.

It seems the plan has come as a shock to many residents too.

The news set John Terry, membership secretary of the Acomb Local History Group, looking into the Poacher's past - a pub known as the Marcia until a 1998 name change.

He consulted the large archive of Geoff Hodgson, the renowned expert in Acomb and Holgate history who died earlier this year.

This revealed that the first named pub in Acomb can be traced to 1793 and was called the Square And Compasses, probably a freemasonry reference.

"He likes to think this was the Marcia. But there's a little bit of doubt - it could have been on the other side of the road," said John.

"In the Acomb Manorial Court Rolls there's a reference to a pub called the Marcia in 1822. Then the licence laws kick in so we have a name for the publican - John Wikeley."

York historian Hugh Murray's book, A Directory Of York Pubs 1455-2003, gives more details.

"Previously the Square and Compasses, by April 25, 1817 its name had been changed to The Marcia to celebrate a successful racehorse who was a grey mare.

"Between 1823 and 1838 it was referred to as The Grey Mare. By 1843 it had reverted to the Marcia.

"It was occasionally, in 1857 and 1889, called The Grey Marcia. It was rebuilt on a large scale, probably in the early years of the 20th century."

Mr Terry says there is concern among Acomb residents about what is happening to their streetscape.

"There's a sense in Acomb that Front Street might change completely and not for the better."

A LOT of people are worried about their pensions after Chancellor Gordon Brown raided private schemes and caused a collapse in confidence.

But not Labour MP Hugh Bayley, writes his Tory opponent in next year's election Clive Booth. He says Hugh has "accrued pensions benefits of £100,000 every five years".

And here is Clive's pledge: "Until the State benefit pension system is overhauled I think it's wrong for MPs to reward themselves so generously. I won't take my Parliamentary pension until the State pension is linked to earnings and means testing scrapped," he said.

What a topsy-turvy world we live in.

A Diary spy attended a recent City Screen showing of 'Supersize Me,' the anti-fast-food film in which a man lives for a month entirely on McDonalds. Seated in front of her was a couple who watched the feature while grazing their way methodically through a bucket of popcorn, washed down by two large Cokes. An elegant exercise in irony, no doubt.

Updated: 09:19 Tuesday, October 19, 2004