Public realm to be called Thury Harcourt Place

IT’S ‘Oui’.

Seaton has voted in favour of naming the public realm after its French twin town.

It wants the area around the Underfleet named Thury Harcourt Place.

Residents were asked what they wanted the area called during a series of public consultation days in the run up to Christmas.

The Voting paper said: ”The town council has been approached by the Seaton and District Twinning Association to name a street after our twin town, Thury Harcourt.

“The town council are supporting this and have suggested that the public realm in Underfleet would be a good place for this. The public realm is owned by East Devon District Council and they are also supporting this but have asked that the public have chance to have their say.

The voting was as follows:

Do you agree that the Public Realm should have a name?

Yes – 161; No – 4.

Do you support the name Thury-Harcourt Place?

Yes – 68 (42 per cent).

Do you support the name Place Thury-Harcourt?

Yes – 50 (31 per cent). Those who support either name 24 (15 per cent).

Those who oppose a twinning name but would you like to suggest any other name?

Yes – 23 (15 per cent).

Clare Jones, chairman of the town’s twinning association said naming part of Seaton after their French partner would address a long standing omission.

“The people of Thury-Harcourt have a great affection and respect for the town and the people of Seaton. Long ago, they named a street ‘rue de Seaton’,” she said.

“In Seaton, unlike most twinned towns in the UK, we have no street or public place named to mark our longstanding friendship with out twin town. For years it has been a source of regret and even embarrassment.”