Plan to name Bristol road after cigarette brand criticised by charities

The decision to name a road on a new housing development after a cigarette brand is "morally unacceptable," anti-smoking campaigners say.

The 70-home complex sits on the site of a former Imperial Group tobacco factory in Bishopsworth, south Bristol.

The name Navy Cut Road was chosen from four suggestions which were picked to reflect the area's industrial past.

Bristol City Council says the Mayor's Office is now reviewing the name.

Navy Cut Road was chosen after Richard Eddy, Conservative councillor for Bishopsworth, secured a U-turn from the original idea to name the street "Crox View" after nearby Crox Bottom woodland.

He pointed out the woodland is in fact obscured from residents' view by the Imperial Park retail centre, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

He challenged housing developer Curo and the council to come up with something to reflect the location's recent industrial heritage.

Mr Eddy welcomed the new name but health charity Action and Smoking and Health (ASH) wants the decision reversed.

Deborah Arnott, ASH chief executive, said naming a street after a commercial product would be illegal if a brand were to do it.

She noted it was legal because it was being done by the council rather than a company, but added: "While it may be legal it is still morally unacceptable."

Ms Arnott said the move would "undermine" Bristol City Council's responsibility to promote health and wellbeing of residents.

A Cancer Research UK spokesperson said: "While we understand that councils are often keen to acknowledge local heritage when naming roads, celebrating a tobacco brand in this way isn't the most helpful message to give out especially to children and young people."

Mr Eddy said in response: "Bishopsworth is a plain-speaking, no-nonsense place and we don't take kindly to politically correct busybodies pushing their noses into our affairs."

He added that as recently as the 1970s the tobacco factory had employed 25,000 workers in Bedminster.

"It would be insane not to acknowledge the importance of this industry to generations of Bristolians in, amongst other things, our street names," Mr Eddy said.

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: "The Mayor's Office is currently reviewing this street naming proposal."

Additional reporting by Tess De La Mare.

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