Varteg or Farteg: Stink over village name continues

Varteg residents remain opposed to seeing the name Farteg on signs

A public consultation is under way on adopting the Welsh place name Y Farteg for the Torfaen village of Varteg - despite local opposition.

Some villagers fear the community will be ridiculed if it is forced to have signs with Farteg on them.

The move is under discussion as many place names across Wales display both English and Welsh spellings.

There is no letter 'V' in the Welsh alphabet, so it should read Farteg in Welsh.

The move has been supported by the Welsh Language Commissioner.

But people in the village have put their name to a petition opposing the change.

One of the county borough councillors whose ward includes Varteg said local residents remained adamant that the name should not be translated.

"They are very angry - they don't want it on the signs," said Giles Davies, who represents Abersychan on Torfaen council.

"Now there is the consultation, at the end of the day they are going to tell the council that.

"They are the ones who have got to live there, and they are worried that they will end up being ridiculed."

Mr Davies said he was "100%" behind the Welsh language but in this instance was representing the views of the people who elected him to the council.

He said that a decision to consider using the form Y Farteg rather than just Farteg did not improve the position.

"People who are not Welsh speakers will see that as 'Why Fart Egg'. People there have just had enough," he added.

The council said the decision to move to a public consultation over the name of the village followed a county-wide review.

"Following consultation on 22 Welsh place names in Torfaen, the council is asking people their opinion on the possible adoption of Y Farteg or Farteg as an additional Welsh place name for the current English spelling of Varteg," said a council spokesperson.

"If either Y Farteg or Farteg are adopted it will mean that in the future one of these Welsh place names will be used alongside Varteg."

The consultation is open until 9 December, online and through council offices.