Nationalists attack agency for using English version of house name

A row is brewing over an agency which acted on a vendor’s request to use the English version of a house name in property details.

Lucas Estate Agents, based in Menai Bridge, originally advertised an Anglesey home under the name of Sound Of The Waves instead of the Welsh version, Sŵn y Don.

The change from Welsh to English was made at the request of the vendor according to a Welsh news website.

However, the agency reverted to the Welsh language after being contacted by a member of the public who reportedly described the switch to English as “disgraceful” and warned the agency “Don’t erase our heritage.”

The individual also criticised the agency for referring to the location of the property as Camaes Bay, saying: “Of course, Cemaes is the name of the village not Cemaes Bay. We need to protect indigenous names.”

There was also social media criticism of the agency according to the Nation Cymru website, with posts saying: “Very disappointed to see how Lucas Estate Agents are advertising this house. Another reason why there is a need to legislate about names…The erasing of the culture is a necessary part of attracting the metropolitan market…This is disgraceful by the company.”

The long-standing Welsh nationalist Plaid Cymru political party has called for a vote by the Welsh Parliament on whether Welsh house names should be allowed to be changed into English.

And the new Welsh National Party, formed earlier this year, is reported by Nation Cymru to have proposed that local authorities charge £10,000 for any historic building name changed from Welsh to English.