BILLY FURY AND THE UNEXPECTED ECSTASY OF BINDWEED
West Hampstead, north London, where the streets have no name. In the mid-2000s, an undesignated half-mile footpath between West End Lane and Finchley Road suffered a spate of petty crimes, but civic-minded residents kept hitting a problem when attempting to submit reports to the police. As the thoroughfare lacked an official title, geographical confusion ensued and the authorities found it hard to accurately record the loitering and littering.
The solution, they decided: end its anonymity. A local councillor conducted a survey among his constituents to garner suggestions of famous former residents who could provide it with an identity. Round here, they had a strong field to choose from: Evelyn Waugh
