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Oct 17 2003 | |
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By Suzanne Elsworth Daily Post Staff | |
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A CALL for famous place names to be changed to avoid offending our continental cousins was greeted with bafflement on Merseyside last night. The idea came from a 60-year-old Briton who works for a Luxembourg-based bank which provides loans for EU projects. Francis Carpenter said it would be in the interests of European harmony if "offensive" British names commemorating battles lost by the French were eradicated. If his idea was implemented, it would see the loss of Waterloo in Sefton and Trafalgar in Wirral, along with countless street names which make reference to characters and events. Wellington Avenue, Picton Close, Churchill Grove and Agincourt Road could disappear forever - just in case they upset someone in Europe. Mr Carpenter's article in Le Figaro suggested that places should be renamed to give them "a more European theme". He went on: "Our country has known countless victories over our neighbours and the streets and squares named after these victories risk offending a European youth that we should be trying to unite." Similarly, he says Germans and Austrians arriving in Paris might be uncomfortable seeing place names marking Napoleon's victories against their countries. But locals say the idea is ludicrous. David Sumberg, NW Conservative MEP, said: "What utter nonsense. There are numerous statues, squares and streets all over the UK and Europe to commemorate events from the past. "I don't want this European official to waste any more time on something that would cost millions to implement and change history in every city in Europe. "In Southport we could see the disappearance of Waterloo Road, Nelson Street and Wellington Street if this European official had his way. "It's not on. As an MEP I want to protect Southport's heritage." |
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