Neil Williams wrote on 02 August 2010
07:01:18 ...
On Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:35:36 +0100, "Richard J."
wrote:

I don't see why the UK postal addresses shouldn't be the same as
Continental ones - i.e. just "number streetname, town postcode".

Because our postcode system has a far finer resolution than most other
countries, and therefore enables greater automation and efficiency in
Royal Mail (in theory), as well as enabling many other applications such
as satnav and location finding on online maps. Why would you want to
degrade our excellent postcode system?

When did I say I wanted to do that? I basically agreed that the
principle of a county in an address was pointless and that we should
use:-

"20 Anystreet
Anytown AB1 2CD"

as our address format.

- which is what the UK recommended format has been for many years. Your
reference to Continental practice and "town postcode" led me to think
that you were advocating one postcode per town as on the Continent
(except the Netherlands).

--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)