Confirming the trend identified by Clive James, the restless planners of Bristol have succumbed to the fidgets and changed the name of the shopping centre - which is being redeveloped and adorned with some mighty new monuments to Mammon - from Broadmead to ...wait for it ... Cabot Circus.
"We were looking for an identity that reflects the bustle and vibrancy of a thriving city centre. Cabot Circus allows us to do this - whilst creating a focus for the area and a destination for visitors to the city," said some time-wasting clown or other.
The people of Bristol will, of course, ignore the superfluous name-change and continue to refer to the area as "town".
C'mon, can't you feel the bustle and vibrancy! Snap to it town boy, we have visitors with cash!
ReplyDeleteIn Cardiff, meanwhile, they're redeveloping a huge chunk of the city centre close to the existing St David's Shopping Centre. Its name? St David's 2!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletemartpol, you guys! Ever the traditionalists.
ReplyDeleteSome names just don't stick. Sixth Avenue in NYC was named Avenue of the Americas in 1945 and I've never heard anyone refer to it by that name.
Sorry for the multiple posts.
Interesting the idea that a name alone confers identity, one of the great contemporary delusions.
ReplyDeleteIt's not even their first attempt at renaming.
ReplyDeleteThe original choice was the apparently innocuous "Merchant's Quarter", but then it was realised that the most successful merchants in Bristol's history traded in slaves.
I suppose it's the polar opposite attitude to that of the Japanese.