Renfrew Drops Plan to Rename Andrew Avenue
Renfrewshire councillors have ended efforts to rename Andrew Avenue in Renfrew after a resident consultation found most respondents did not support changing the street’s name. The engagement exercise was launched after concerns were raised locally about whether the name remained appropriate.
The consultation, held between 10 March and 31 March, drew responses from 22 of the street’s 52 households, and 16 of those respondents said they would not support a formal proposal to rename the avenue, The Herald reported.
Mr John Shaw, the SNP councillor for Renfrew North and Braehead who requested the consultation, told the full council meeting that the outcome was unsurprising given the potential inconvenience for residents, but said those living on the street “deserved the opportunity to have their say”. He added that the issue had originally been raised by residents themselves and argued that decisions work best when shaped by those most affected.
The street’s name came under scrutiny following the removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s titles amid national concern about his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019. The former prince has denied wrongdoing, and councillors said the public debate made it reasonable to ask residents whether the name should remain.
With the consultation now concluded, the council has confirmed the renaming process will not progress further, leaving Andrew Avenue’s name unchanged.
