British people revel in coming up with punny names for their businesses. And anytime I travel in Britain, I love to collect funny signs. Here are a few of my favorites from this trip:
Is “posh” really the right word here?
For the indecisive hipster in your life.
Coffee shops with “beans” puns are particularly popular. Also spotted on this trip: “Has Beans.”
Not the most appetizing name for a paint-your-own-pottery place. But memorable. I’ll grant them that.
Usually when I visit the hardware store, I use much more colorful language than this.
As creative and punchy as Brits are about naming businesses, they can be just as long-winded when it comes to official pronouncements. Why use one word when you can use ten? Here are a few needlessly wordy signs, with succinct subtitles:
“Slippery when wet”
“Sold”
And finally, sometimes you find a sign that’s simply perfect: Clear. Concise. And to the point. No ambiguity here:
“Potty” is British slang for crazy.
Once I was on a train and got some odd looks when I said “I’d better hit the loo now, at Victoria I’ll have to pay 30 p to go potty!”
Ooooohhh! Thank you for explaining that. Just when you think you know all the British-isms, they’ve got more up their sleeves. That’s certainly a more appealing name for a business, then.