Telford residents mull over street named after scandal-hit Prince Andrew

Royal road names are often given to an area to give it a feel of prestige. However, the prince faces a civil case in America over sexual assault allegations, which he has consistently denied.

Virginia Giuffre sued the prince in federal district court in August last year, accusing him of "sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress." In October, Andrew's lawyers filed a response, stating that their client "unequivocally denies Giuffre's false allegations", but this January, a judge rejected Andrew's attempts to dismiss the case, allowing the sexual abuse lawsuit to proceed.

We asked residents of Prince Andrew Drive in Malinslee, Telford, what they thought about the street name, and whether it ought to be changed.

Terry and Kim Beech believe it should stay the same.

Terry said: "I don't think you can change it. You can't keep rewriting history. It doesn't really bother me. It's always been Prince Andrew Drive.

"We don't agree with what he might have done, but you can't keep changing things. You can't erase history. He's still part of the royal family."

Asked whether they would move into a house in a street named after somebody notorious, Kim replied: "You wouldn't go and find a house on Jimmy Savile Street. I find the names of some of the new streets a bit ridiculous."

They said no-one had raised eyebrows when they told people their address for official documents.

However, another neighbour said she is considering writing to Telford & Wrekin Council to request the name should go. "We think it should change," she said. "We've been thinking about writing to them. It's not right that it's named after him."

Josie Hunting isn't so keen on the name changing. "I don't think it'd make any difference," she said. "I've lived here a long time and it's always been Prince Andrew Drive. I couldn't be doing with the hassle of changing my address on everything."

Another neighbour suggested that to keep in with the royal theme of street names on the estate, the street should be renamed after one of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children.

"I wouldn't mind seeing the back of that name," he said of Prince Andrew Close. "There's another street near here called Sussex Close. I wouldn't want to live there either!

"It needs to have a royal connection. Maybe they could name it after Prince George, Princess Charlotte or Prince Louis."

He added: "Everybody deserves a fair trial. It seems as though Prince Andrew has had trial by media."

Elsewhere, residents in Fort William, Scotland, called for a street to be renamed from Earl of Inverness Road, due to its link to Prince Andrew. In Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, DUP figures have called for several streets bearing Prince Andrew's name to be changed. And in Nova Scotia, Canada, Prince Andrew High School announced plans for its name to be changed.

However, a survey last year by Compare My Move found that royal street names can add thousands to property values.

Telford & Wrekin Council has been contacted for a comment.