It’s a shame that RM won’t let us have a name and number

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Letter: It’s a shame that Royal Mail won’t let us have a name and number

http://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/news/lo ... -1-4965565" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am one of the disappointed residents of West End Road Wyberton who discovered that the Royal Mail database (and thus our local council) can only accommodate a house name or number in our address, not both.

This was understandable in 1959 when the system was introduced to UK, but the digital age has advanced significantly in fifty years!

Having moved home more than 20 times and lived in five different countries I know this is possible; it is provided even in less developed countries.

An ‘additional address line’ is usual in most systems.

I fully support those who do not want to see the loss of historic house names, but equally I have been made very aware of the difficulties that local tradesmen, delivery drivers, taxis and visitors have in locating my home.

‘Satnav’ systems cannot locate me and even Google misplaces my house by half a mile on the opposite side of the road. Emergency services would be delayed as they use these services.

There are probably other roads with similar problems in the Borough.

The lack of an additional address line is a problem for houses converted to flats; for example a credit rating can be affected by a bad neighbour with a common address.

Boston appears to have many large older houses now in multiple occupancy.

I urge Boston Borough Council to seek a solution, and suggest issuing a plot number for each house and parcel of land, which homeowners could choose or not to register on the Royal Mail database.

Additionally the council should also press Royal Mail to adopt a system which can preserve the links with the past whilst mitigating the dangers of living outside of the digital age.

Name and number should be able to co-exist!

Our local councillor Coun Richard Austin has been diligently exploring the issues on behalf of the residents, for which he has my thanks.

Mike Sharp

Wyberton

[UnhappyGremlin]

A name and number? That's way too difficult for RM to cope with. Even though it would be as easy as pushing a few buttons on a computer....

[arnold cheshire]

A name and number? That's way too difficult for RM to cope with. Even though it would be as easy as pushing a few buttons on a computer....

i have houses on my delivery say number 67 and its called the whitehouse royal mail thinks its two houses .

[DB1100]

It's hardly the end of the world is it,stick any name on it it doesn't matter just leave the correct number on it,we have people up here although they live on a old council estate they write there addresses as being in the nearby posh area how pathetic is that but the postcodes don't lie.

[Bahia Feliz]

It's hardly the end of the world is it,stick any name on it it doesn't matter just leave the correct number on it,we have people up here although they live on a old council estate they write there addresses as being in the nearby posh area how pathetic is that but the postcodes don't lie.

Same here DB

[UnhappyGremlin]

It's hardly the end of the world is it,stick any name on it it doesn't matter just leave the correct number on it,we have people up here although they live on a old council estate they write there addresses as being in the nearby posh area how pathetic is that but the postcodes don't lie.

Same here DB

We have that, but if they don't write the posh areas name on and leave their own areas name on, many companies refuse to send stuff there in case of theft/fraud by customers.

[barrowc]

Some of the examples in the Postcode Address File (PAF) programmer's guide have building names and building numbers and some have sub building names too. The address structure in the PAF file looks as though it should be able to handle this:



edit: I see that the building name is "not required for mailing" if the building number is present. That makes this sound like more of an issue for the software using PAF than a problem with PAF itself

[dvbuk55]

In the 70s I worked for an electricity supply company and named houses were an absolute nightmare in rural areas - in one particular area on a very long stretch of country lane there was 3 Willow Cottages - in the end the council numbered the houses, it didn't detract from the rural aspect and the name on the house was still there but they also had to display a number and that made it easier.

[DB1100]

In the 70s I worked for an electricity supply company and named houses were an absolute nightmare in rural areas - in one particular area on a very long stretch of country lane there was 3 Willow Cottages - in the end the council numbered the houses, it didn't detract from the rural aspect and the name on the house was still there but they also had to display a number and that made it easier.

Common sense really dvbuk55,I can't understand people who don't number their houses,and just rely on a daft name,well done to the council.

[DB1100]

It's hardly the end of the world is it,stick any name on it it doesn't matter just leave the correct number on it,we have people up here although they live on a old council estate they write there addresses as being in the nearby posh area how pathetic is that but the postcodes don't lie.

Same here DB

We have that, but if they don't write the posh areas name on and leave their own areas name on, many companies refuse to send stuff there in case of theft/fraud by customers.

No I don't think thats the reason ,I think it's more Hyacinth Bucket.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

In Huddersfield we have an estate called Brackenhall it looked like this in its heydey


council moved everyone out and split up the "problem" families.

They the built a brand new estate - mostly private rented its now called Lower Fixby



This is what the real Fixby looks like

I can see their point though.

[RedBagMan]

Emphasis on the "Lower" then ...

[UnhappyGremlin]

It's hardly the end of the world is it,stick any name on it it doesn't matter just leave the correct number on it,we have people up here although they live on a old council estate they write there addresses as being in the nearby posh area how pathetic is that but the postcodes don't lie.

Same here DB

We have that, but if they don't write the posh areas name on and leave their own areas name on, many companies refuse to send stuff there in case of theft/fraud by customers.

No I don't think thats the reason ,I think it's more Hyacinth Bucket.

That's exactly the reason. I have a friend who lives there.

[the deliverer]

In the 70s I worked for an electricity supply company and named houses were an absolute nightmare in rural areas - in one particular area on a very long stretch of country lane there was 3 Willow Cottages - in the end the council numbered the houses, it didn't detract from the rural aspect and the name on the house was still there but they also had to display a number and that made it easier.

Delivered post last week to one property called Orchard Glade on Wednesday, Orchard Cottage on Thursday and Orchard Lodge on Saturday. Wonder what it will be called next week!

[chooch]

Delivered post last week to one property called Orchard Glade on Wednesday, Orchard Cottage on Thursday and Orchard Lodge on Saturday. Wonder what it will be called next week!

'Located in one of the most prestigious and desirable areas of 'Your Town'.
A unique development of just THREE outstanding new residences due to be built to the highest of specifications with internal floor areas of circa 8000 sq ft.
Plots 1and 3 already secured by Discerning Clients.'