I recently had a mild altercation with the Post Office post-codes people and was told
a.) there's no such place as Portobello
b.) Edinburgh's post-codes do not go above EH8
?
I have always used Portobello as part of my address - and will continue to do so, despite the Post Office - and I was wondering how many other residents use it.
Portobello does not exist ...........
Portobello does not exist ...........
Jay
'Jay - a noisy chattering European bird of brilliant plumage' OED
'Jay - a noisy chattering European bird of brilliant plumage' OED
I used to live in Brunton Gardens in Montgomery Street in EH7which was a bizarre street numbering situation: the street number was for Montgomery Street although the 'official' address was "Brunton Gardens, Montgomery Street" and this oddity seems to have lead to several tenements have 2 postcodes!! Hellish confusion when it came to the last census so I tried to get is sorted out, but no-one like the PO or council would take responsiblity ... so I gave up and moved to Portobello!!! 
I do use Portobello in my address for private purposes [i.e. friends and family], but don't bother for more official stuff because it confuses them when they enter the postcode into their computers. See above!!
I do use Portobello in my address for private purposes [i.e. friends and family], but don't bother for more official stuff because it confuses them when they enter the postcode into their computers. See above!!
I became mildly irked when I phoned 118 118.
"118 118 which address please?"
"It's the Doctor's Surgery, High Street, Portobello, Edinburgh"
"I've got nothing coming up under that name"
"Ok, try portobello high street"
"No, nothing. Is it in Edinburgh?"
"Yes."
"What's the street name?"
"It's either High Street, Portobello or Portobello High Street"
"I've got nothing under either of those names. Is Portobello in Edinburgh?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure it's a region of Edinburgh?"
"Yes."
"Well it's not on my system. Do you have the names of any of the doctors?"
"Reid, Ferguson"
"No there's nothing coming up. You said Portobello is in Edinburgh?"
"Yes."
"I have got a Dr Bertram, Doctors Surgery, Portobello High Street, Edinburgh - is that the one you want?"
"You tell me."
"Well you have to tell me if that's the right number"
"I wanted the doctor's surgery in Portobello High Street or High Street, Portobello, in Edinburgh."
"Well you have to tell me if this is the right number"
"What do *you* think?"
(at this point the 118 operator played the number for me and probably had some specific thoughts about which tablets the doctor should be prescribing for this particular patient.....)
"118 118 which address please?"
"It's the Doctor's Surgery, High Street, Portobello, Edinburgh"
"I've got nothing coming up under that name"
"Ok, try portobello high street"
"No, nothing. Is it in Edinburgh?"
"Yes."
"What's the street name?"
"It's either High Street, Portobello or Portobello High Street"
"I've got nothing under either of those names. Is Portobello in Edinburgh?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure it's a region of Edinburgh?"
"Yes."
"Well it's not on my system. Do you have the names of any of the doctors?"
"Reid, Ferguson"
"No there's nothing coming up. You said Portobello is in Edinburgh?"
"Yes."
"I have got a Dr Bertram, Doctors Surgery, Portobello High Street, Edinburgh - is that the one you want?"
"You tell me."
"Well you have to tell me if that's the right number"
"I wanted the doctor's surgery in Portobello High Street or High Street, Portobello, in Edinburgh."
"Well you have to tell me if this is the right number"
"What do *you* think?"
(at this point the 118 operator played the number for me and probably had some specific thoughts about which tablets the doctor should be prescribing for this particular patient.....)
As a former Directory Enquiry Operator - the sequence we were taught was: Directory Enquiry's - Which Town - followed by Name and Address.
1) City Edinburgh
2) Name of Doctor (any Doctor at the Surgery)
3) Portobello High Street
Most of the DQ (Directory Enquiry Centre's) are now located in area's far removed from the old local Telephone Exchanges, whereas before the majority of the DQ operators were from in or around Edinburgh.
We used the old comp 80 directories - not computers and were more accurate and accountable - now you just get shoved on to some robotic voice - with the wrong number, and the new system is expensive - bring back 'Number Please'
1) City Edinburgh
2) Name of Doctor (any Doctor at the Surgery)
3) Portobello High Street
Most of the DQ (Directory Enquiry Centre's) are now located in area's far removed from the old local Telephone Exchanges, whereas before the majority of the DQ operators were from in or around Edinburgh.
We used the old comp 80 directories - not computers and were more accurate and accountable - now you just get shoved on to some robotic voice - with the wrong number, and the new system is expensive - bring back 'Number Please'
