Last Updated: Monday, 24 September 2007, 22:59 GMT 23:59 UK
Monopoly launches UK-wide edition
St Albans and Liverpool replace Mayfair and Old Kent Road
The swanky streets of Mayfair have been replaced by the cathedral city of St Albans as the nation's top real estate in a new UK-wide version of Monopoly.
Cities and towns across Britain take the place of London street names on the world's most popular board game after a vote by more than one million people.
Leeds and Liverpool replace the cheap streets, Whitechapel and Old Kent Road, while posh Park Lane becomes Exeter.
A city's position on the board was set by the number of votes it received.
The towns and cities represented are clearly the places people feel most passionate about
Helen Martin, global brand director for Monopoly
Thus, London, where the average price of a house is £313,000, comes before Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and Birmingham where buying a home can set you back half that amount.
However, average house prices in commuter-belt St Albans are in fact the highest among the 22 towns and cities featured.
Celtic representation
"I am delighted that people here take pride in their city," said St Albans' mayor Kate Morris.
MONOPOLY GOES NATIONWIDE
St Albans, the new Mayfair, attracted 10.25% of the vote
Liverpool, the new Old Kent Road, attracted 1.53%
Leeds secured Whitechapel's position, with 1.65%
Keele, the new Fleet Street, attracted 2.86%
London, once owners of the whole board, takes over Northumberland Ave with 2.46% of the vote
"But it is an expensive place to live. Key workers find it difficult to find a home."
Dundee and Cardiff are the only Scottish and Welsh cities to appear on the Monopoly Here and Now UK edition made by toy firm Hasbro, which goes on sale on Tuesday.
Northern Ireland is represented by "Belfast Airport", but the board does not specify whether this is Belfast International Airport or George Best Belfast City Airport.
"We were surprised by the results," said Helen Martin, global brand director for Monopoly.
"The towns and cities represented are clearly the places people feel most passionate about.
"As for London, it seems to have been a case of big city apathy."
Monopoly inflation
While several cities and regions have got their own editions of the popular board game in recent years, the Here and Now UK edition, is the only nationwide version.
Local radio and internet campaigns were just some of the tactics residents employed to get their town or city on the board.
Residents of Keele, a small town with a permanent population of about 4,000, managed to speed up the rankings thanks to a campaign by students at the local university.
Monopoly, like the rest of the nation, has not escaped house price inflation. St Albans will cost you a cool £4m to buy, whereas in the original edition, Mayfair was a snip at £400.
''You can if fortunate enough land on 'Chance' and obtain a 'Get out of Croydon free' card,'' Helen Martin later added.
Monopoly launches UK-wide edition
St Albans and Liverpool replace Mayfair and Old Kent Road
The swanky streets of Mayfair have been replaced by the cathedral city of St Albans as the nation's top real estate in a new UK-wide version of Monopoly.
Cities and towns across Britain take the place of London street names on the world's most popular board game after a vote by more than one million people.
Leeds and Liverpool replace the cheap streets, Whitechapel and Old Kent Road, while posh Park Lane becomes Exeter.
A city's position on the board was set by the number of votes it received.
The towns and cities represented are clearly the places people feel most passionate about
Helen Martin, global brand director for Monopoly
Thus, London, where the average price of a house is £313,000, comes before Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and Birmingham where buying a home can set you back half that amount.
However, average house prices in commuter-belt St Albans are in fact the highest among the 22 towns and cities featured.
Celtic representation
"I am delighted that people here take pride in their city," said St Albans' mayor Kate Morris.
MONOPOLY GOES NATIONWIDE
St Albans, the new Mayfair, attracted 10.25% of the vote
Liverpool, the new Old Kent Road, attracted 1.53%
Leeds secured Whitechapel's position, with 1.65%
Keele, the new Fleet Street, attracted 2.86%
London, once owners of the whole board, takes over Northumberland Ave with 2.46% of the vote
"But it is an expensive place to live. Key workers find it difficult to find a home."
Dundee and Cardiff are the only Scottish and Welsh cities to appear on the Monopoly Here and Now UK edition made by toy firm Hasbro, which goes on sale on Tuesday.
Northern Ireland is represented by "Belfast Airport", but the board does not specify whether this is Belfast International Airport or George Best Belfast City Airport.
"We were surprised by the results," said Helen Martin, global brand director for Monopoly.
"The towns and cities represented are clearly the places people feel most passionate about.
"As for London, it seems to have been a case of big city apathy."
Monopoly inflation
While several cities and regions have got their own editions of the popular board game in recent years, the Here and Now UK edition, is the only nationwide version.
Local radio and internet campaigns were just some of the tactics residents employed to get their town or city on the board.
Residents of Keele, a small town with a permanent population of about 4,000, managed to speed up the rankings thanks to a campaign by students at the local university.
Monopoly, like the rest of the nation, has not escaped house price inflation. St Albans will cost you a cool £4m to buy, whereas in the original edition, Mayfair was a snip at £400.
''You can if fortunate enough land on 'Chance' and obtain a 'Get out of Croydon free' card,'' Helen Martin later added.
