Great Western Coffee Shop

as he does not like it being called that as well it sounds like the place in Texas.

Dan Norris wants a new name for WECA,I thought he had better things to get on with that finding a new name for the outfit

Cuba?

Clearly Understating Bristol Always

If I capitalise it - CUBA - the abbreviations page should sort it out for you (VickiS - I have updated the live and developement copies)

Oooh...I didn't realise I was on Newsnight... ;D

Here's the tweet:


(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E5JEmoXXEA4QCIy?format=jpg&name=900x900)

He's right; WECA is a rotten name. Few people who live inside the area have heard of it, and vanishingly few outside. But his hopes of getting people to call it something else are about as likely to succeed as those of the poor folk who are saddled with the name 'BANES'.

Unfortunately, 'West of England' isn't much better. For most people that conjures thoughts of cream teas, cows, and donkey rides on the beach, rather than the centre for technology, media and industry it actually encompasses.

The best suggestion I've heard recently is that it should be renamed 'Bristol and Bath City Region'. People in North Somerset won't like it, and people who live in that part of Bristol known as South Gloucestershire might not like it either, but at least everyone would know where it was!

WECA?

My case rests, m'lud.

CUBA is used within local government to mean Counties that Used To Be Avon so it cannot be used for WECA unless North Somerset joins.

I know. Let's call it Avon  ;D

Wikipedia confirms

Why do I keep thinking that "Big Bristol" would be good - snappy, rather than wordy or worthy. If you favour grammatical logic over memorability, I guess it would have to be "Bigger Bristol".

But then ... is regional political correctness a thing? I suspect so.

It certainly is in that part of the world. I worked on one of the last rail projects with a similar name - Greater Bristol Metro (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=357.0) - back in 2007, and you certainly couldnt get away with calling it that now!


Worth noting that the current Pontivy Reopening Project (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=23792.msg295356#msg295356) was first conceived in 2017, the train circulation agreement was signed in October 2020, the crucial station renovation phase took place in 2020-2021 in the midst of a pandemic, and the station opened on schedule a few days ago.

I've never associated WECA with Waco. Isn't the Texan place pronounced "way-co"? But it is a pretty bad name. Unfortunately so are all the others. West of England would have protests from Devon and Cornwall, and even Avon is probably politically impossible now (besides, what about all the other Avons?).

Hmm, here's an idea: Just as the Cuban (or Kuban) region of southern Russia is nothing to do with Cuba, we could take the Counties that Used to Be Avon and localize it somewhat – Cubal!

And while I'm here, the other problem with West of England was illustrated when the former Bristol Polytechnic became a university – the University of WoE!

Yes. I think it's an anglicization of Hueco.

"Bristolia". It is the Portland of the UK, after all.

An appealing suggestion, but no doubt it'll have its knockers.

Western Administrative Region.  Members of Dan Norris' team can then claim to be in the WAR Cabinet.

WAR! Uhh! What is it good for?

Absolutely Nothing..."

But North Somerset is not part of the Combined Authority so what they think hardly matters

I see it now.

Western Urban & Rural Zones Legislature Executive.

Sporting a Brand New Combine Harvester logo.

As long as it is brand new

Out! Get out! And don't come back!!!  ;D

Reverse previous thinking and call it Acew or Lotsirb or even Nova?

I think I shall call it WACO from now on.


Would that be the same Portway station announced in around 2010 by the West of England Local Enterprise Association's Joint Transport Committee, with a promised completion date of 2013? The WoE LEPers would be upset to hear that their magnificent efforts were being used to shower praise on the Western Super Mayor.