The postman has to call twice in Chester’s most confusing street

Mar 31 2011 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

PITY the residents of a suburban street where the house numbering system is so confusing that mail goes astray, takeaways end up at the wrong homes and taxis get lost.

The problems stem from the fact that numbers one to six are duplicated in Flag Lane South, Upton.

After one resident complained, the council explored the possibility of renumbering the entire street. But those who responded to a consultation said they would prefer to keep the status quo rather than risk making a bad situation worse.

However, not everyone agrees.

Mark Purtill, of number two, Heath Terrace, Flag Lane South, believes renumbering the street is the obvious solution.

Mark, who runs Tarvin Bridge Garage, regularly gets post for number two, The Smithy, and they get his.

“Because I’m a good neighbour, if I walk in the direction of The Wheatsheaf I will take their mail and put it through their letter box.

“If I ring a taxi I have to stand in the road and wave them down because otherwise the taxi will be waiting patiently outside number two, The Smithy, waiting for somebody to come out. It’s very aggravating.”

He added that “all manner of deliveries” including takeaways have gone to the duplicate address. He also worries about the emergency services going to the wrong location, especially after his daughter was recently attacked in the street while walking home.

Mark says the sorry saga was caused by the builder who created The Smithy development deciding to give his houses numbers one to seven – even though numbers one to six already existed.

The council says it now intends to tackle the confusion by improving signage in the street.

David Holmes