It was the naming competition that captured the nation’s imagination.
After the infamous campaign to christen the Natural Environment Research Council’s new vessel ”Boaty McBoatface’, Oldham Council’s decision to put the name of their brand new gritter to public tender was always likely to attract some interesting suggestions.
The responses ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous – with a few very dodgy efforts to boot. Much of the humour was very dark and very funny, as can be seen in the following examples…
https://twitter.com/CosyFT/status/801702821926203392
Usain Salt https://t.co/qAcITPNP6y
— DeadWing (@stamfordstu) November 23, 2016
Thawer Hird.
(Inspired by a suggestion below) https://t.co/jd6KIZ9oNk
— simon evans (@TheSimonEvans) November 24, 2016
Cliff Grittchard https://t.co/vdFHZ9dTFY
— GeorgeWeahsCousin (@WeahsCousin) November 23, 2016
https://twitter.com/wren154/status/801694877633413120
Grit Me With Your Rhythm Stick https://t.co/CRqJW4xtrV
— J Farrers (@Jfarrers) November 24, 2016
https://twitter.com/petehayman/status/801687098021576704
https://twitter.com/Inst_4_Studies/status/801549154149421060
https://twitter.com/Mwdsly/status/801537270981476352
https://twitter.com/HSV_Valiant/status/801556653334286341
Josef Gritzl https://t.co/a6VKp5lMpc
— Mnrrnt and 207 others (@Mnrrnt) November 23, 2016
Shitter the gritter https://t.co/PWhFdazisG
— Andy (@andycmanutd1) November 23, 2016
https://twitter.com/GarethSoye/status/801561812449853440
Our personal favourite was this piece of genius…
Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney
— Natalie Washington (@Transsomething) November 23, 2016
Alas none of these were deemed quite suitable for the rock-salt dispensing vehicle. Instead the Council announced on Friday that, after careful deliberation, they had finally decided upon this pun-tastic moniker…
Oldham's new gritter will be named ….. Nicole Saltslinger!!
The name's been chosen from hundreds submitted to the Council's competition pic.twitter.com/DK3LGFi4hz— BBC Manchester (@BBCRadioManc) December 2, 2016
As you can imagine, for a public decision of far greater consequence than Brexit or Scottish Devolution, the news has been received with a mixed response. Not everyone is pleased with the rather ‘safe’ option…
'Nicole Saltslinger'? You bell ends. #oldhamcouncil #gritter
— Levets (@levetsmcfc) December 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/DavidBeattie86/status/804684558641876992
Disappointed Oldham Council named their new gritter "Nicole Saltslinger" beating out Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney.
— 📻 Colin Paterson 📺 (@ColinGPaterson) December 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/KevWhitt/status/804638351177510912
I am still disappointed it wasn't Gary Gritter. https://t.co/WKcS2grTxR
— crouchingbadger (@crouchingbadger) December 2, 2016
