Name Change

[maggiebee]

David Cameron is backing a campaign for the tower housing Big Ben to be renamed in honour of the Queen. Do you think this will change the way people refer to the tower as "Big Ben" despite that not being the name of the tower?

They changed the name of the Keiller Centre in Dundee (named after Keiller's Factory which stood on the site) to the Forum Centre many years ago. Dundonians still called it the Keiller Centre and guess what.....they changed the name back. People power.

[lankeela]

How many people know what it is really called anyway and even if they do how many people use the real name? Not very many I'll wager!

[Eve]

As in change the Big Ben name (which I think is the actual bell) or just the tower itself?

I guess things will always go by what people call them. They've done it with stuff round here, changing GMEX to Manchester Central and the MEN Arena to something like the Manchester Arena but most people still refer to them by their old names.

[friedgreentomato]

The government did a similar honour for Victoria, changing one of the towers to Victoria Tower, it is still to this day known as a whole as Houses of Parliament.

As you have rightly said the Bell Tower is nicknamed Big Ben but it is actually called St Stephens tower, I think it is a lovely honour people will still call it big ben I can't see Queenie objecting.

[paddywak]

If they want to honour somebody why don't they build a new monument instead of just changing the name of an existing one? No matter what the government decide and no matter what it's actual name is it's known world wide as Big Ben and that's what people will always call it. It's like my geordie mates none of them go to the Sports Direct Arena they go to St James park, you can't wave a magic wand and change a hundred years of history even if you're David Cameron

[friedgreentomato]

Could you imagine the public outcry if they built a new monument - they would be accused of wasting tax payers money - lets face it their damned if they do and damned if they don't!!

[anneasquith]

big betty ! no leave ben alone !

[friedgreentomato]

They are not touching big ben they are renaming the tower!!!

[Ann]

Stupid idea.

[woofgang]

A wing of the been is to be renamed the John Peel wing. They mentioned the name of the bloke it was currently named after and I had never heard of him....oh tempora oh mores....

[emmie]

leave it as St Stephens Tower, her Majesty has enough monuments named after her already i suspect.

[ladybirder]

I agree em, one doesn't want any more does one.

[flump1]

While I appreciate some may like a lasting memento of our dear ole queen, why can not we name a new piece of something somewhere ? A piece of twisted metal called art would suffice surely ? And parked in the Olympic village when all competitors have gone ?

[mike11111]

It is NOT called St Stephen's Tower - that is different. Its correct name is the Clock Tower.

[anneasquith]

well it could be named wee betty^s clock tower !

[emmie]

then leave it as The Clock tower, besides there seems to be a lot of people, who one would consider well educated who have made the same mistake, but no matter.