A STREET in Colchester is putting off buyers because of its controversial name.

Research by online estate agents HouseSimple.com revealed a controversial, rude, extreme or silly street name could put off potential buyers, with the number of house sales up to four times lower than on neighbouring streets with more neutral names.

HouseSimple looked at the number of house sales over the past 20 years on some of the UK’s more unusually named streets, such as Stalin Road in Colchester, and compared with the number of house sales on adjoining streets with more conventional names.

Stalin Road shares its name with the Soviet Union dictator but is, in fact, a tribute to the Battle of Stalingrad, one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War.

But the research found the road had 70 per cent fewer house sales than nearby Barn Hall Avenue.

However, residents living in the road say they are happy to live there and even fought against suggestions to change the name.

In 2009, residents living in Stalin Road overwhelmingly against changing its name. A poll was carried out and only four households said they wanted to change the name which was given to the road when the estate was built in 1948.

Jackie Collins, who has lived in Stalin Road for 12 years, said the name was not something she had thought about.

She said: “The houses seem to get snapped up really quickly around here.

“The name didn’t worry me when we bought the house, it doesn’t seem to come into play.”

Alex Gosling, chief executive officer of online estate agents HouseSimple.com, said buyers will often pay more to live on an Avenue or Crescent versus a Street or Road.

Road names which have allegedly put buyers off include Dumbwoman’s Lane, Backside Lane, Adolf Street and Spanker Lane.