With demands to distance the city from Prince Andrew’s title ‘the Duke of York’, or vice versa, we could perhaps adopt another approach.

The following proposal may not receive widespread support - but how about changing our city’s name to something else? Then Andrew could keep his precious title, remaining the Duke of York but we, here in this city, would no longer be York.

Maybe that’s a bit radical. As an octogenarian ‘Yorkie’, born and bred, I ought to know better! I won’t suggest that readers send in their ideas for new names for York.

However, as I’ve started, I’ll finish, with a random selection to consider before rejection: South Haxby, Ouseville, Laverack, Scarborough, Nether Heslington, Eoforwic (I think that’s been used before), Prendergast, Knapton Major, Flood, Railwayana, Guthrum, Great Peter (sounds familiar, certainly rings a bell), Shambles Magna, and in view of recent concerns, Booze-on-Ouse.

Have fun!

Derek Reed, Middlethorpe Drive, York