Google Maps 'renames Basingstoke'

Google Maps have now replaced "Town Centre" with "Basingstoke" after the BBC alerted Google to the error

As a London overspill town, Basingstoke is a town that competes with its larger neighbours to make its mark on the map.

But according Google Maps it no longer had a mark at all, when it replaced Basingstoke with "Town Centre".

A Google spokesman said: "Whoops. Sorry for the mix-up. An engineer is quite literally putting Basingstoke on the map."

The town name has now been reinstated on Google Maps on certain browsers, but on others the area is now left blank.

'An amazing place'

In the Internet Explorer browser Basingstoke now has no marking at all

Chris Quintana of Hampshire's Chamber of Commerce had branded the gaffe "ridiculous", describing Basingstoke as "an amazing place".

"Basingstoke is a major central link to Heathrow, to Farnborough airport," he said.

"'Town Centre' - why would anyone put it down like that?'

"This does absolutely nothing for inward investment into the UK.

"This town is not called 'Town Centre' it has a name and it is called Basingstoke."

Attractions in the town include: Basing House, the ruins of a 12th Centre castle; The Anvil, one of Hampshire's largest entertainment venues; and the Milestones Museum of Living History.