Number Plates News

Number Plate News - February 2012

13 February 2012

Brighton and Hove residents are up in arms over the proposed sale of the city’s prized CD 1 number plate.

Likening it to “selling off the family silver”, many critics say that the registration is part of the city’s heritage and should never be sold off for short term financial gain.

The argument has been raging for many years as an earlier story shows and the residents of the seaside resort are still clearly divided into two camps over the issue.

A local newspaper has now commissioned a ‘Balancing the Books’ poll, which invites suggestions for alternative economies that might be made elsewhere in the council’s spending plans.

Shropshire

A local newspaper has revealed the results of a survey which shows that, in the face of the current economic uncertainties, record numbers of people still want personal number plates.

On of the principal proponents, who declined to be named but is clearly well-known in the community, is a local property developer whose commercial fleet is adorned with five versions of ‘VUX’ plates.

One of his reasons for adopting this strategy, apart from reinforcing corporate identity, is that the ‘dateless’ registrations effectively disguise the ages of his vehicles, a factor that might, otherwise, harm business prestige.

Private individuals often choose plates just for fun or to reflect aspects of their personalities. Kim Kimball-Jones owns K155 KYM (‘Kiss Kim’) and Martin Farmer, who prides himself on his lack of vices such as smoking and drinking revels in the attention DUII BOY (‘Dull Boy’) attracts.

At the very top end of the plate market, local resident Michael John Jordan has the ultimate MJJ 1. The three letter version is considerably cheaper than MJ 1 would have been but if you have a middle name you may consider it to be a better choice.

Abu Dhabi

A strange story emerges from the United Arab Emirates State of Abu Dhabi, where a UK number plate is set to be auctioned for a price usually commanded by the country’s own cherished registrations.

AB11 DHB was bought at the end of 2010 for just £400 as one of the standard ‘11’ series registrations offered for sale in advance of the issue date.

The plate, which only vaguely resembles ‘Abu Dhabi’ is expected to achieve offers approaching half a million pounds.

The reason it has become desirable is that many UAE nationals spend a considerable part of each summer in the UK in order to escape the scorching heat and often ship their cars over with them.

UK

‘Reality’ show star Katie Price has recently ditched the distinctive KP11 LEO number plate, she bought in celebration of her relationship with Argentinian model Leandro Penna..

The great plate successfully merged her initials with ‘Leo’ but now that the couple are no longer together, Katie’s distinctive vivid-pink Range Rover has been spotted with a new number, KP11 HOT. Not only does this suit her new single status but it won’t need to be changed if and when a new man arrives on the scene.