Google Yields to 130-Year Campaign: Removes Hyphens from Bradford on Avon

Google has agreed to remove hyphens from the town's name Bradford on Avon after a 130-year campaign by locals.

The 'rogue' hyphens first appeared in 1899 when Great Western Railway added them to its railway sign, and they then became common usage among mapmakers and residents.

Resident Tom Vaughton, CEO of SEO experts Varn, started the campaign after spotting over 5,800 incorrect references online, including on Google Maps. He told the BBC that the problem has also affected artificial intelligence.

The town council recently launched a campaign to reclaim the original name 'Bradford Avon' and called on major platforms such as Wikipedia, GWR, and Encyclopedia Britannica to support them.