Council stirs up wasps’ nest in road name row

COUNCIL officials have been accused of trying to “sanitise” a Yorkshire town by refusing to name a road ‘Wasps Nest Close’ because it “conjures up mental connotations of stinging and danger”.

Residents in Mirfield put forward the name for a housing development on the former Wasps Nest pub in an area which has historical references to wasps.

But a Kirklees council spokesman said it would “much prefer to find a name that has nothing to do with any sort of insect” and the developer agreed.

The council put forward Kings Head Court and Heathfield Court as alternative.

Councillor Kath Taylor accused the council of trying to sanitise the area, adding: “If developers are wanting to come in they ought to respect our history.”

The area was named Wasps Nest years ago when a magistrate made reference to the type of people living there, according to Councillor Martyn Bolt who said: “There are loads of strange names and I think they should retain historic links otherwise you risk developers sanitising the area.”

Local estate agent Paul Keighley of Bramleys said: “If the house is good quality the street name is irrelevant. In Huddersfield there is Wasp Nest Road and many other odd names such as Squirrel Ditch, Dykes End and Spa Bottom. Historic names should be kept and I cannot see any reason why the reference to Wasp Nest would have an adverse effect on sales.”

A Google search reveals a Hornets Nest Road in Maryland, USA, a Mosquito Road in Kent and Bumble Bee Road in Arizona.

Amy Wray, MD of Applegate Properties in Holmfirth, agreed with the council’s stance, saying Wasps Nest Close was not an attractive name.

“I have personally dealt with a lot of new homes over the years and the name was always a very important part of the whole process.”