Beyond Mail: The Surprising and Essential Uses of London's Postal Codes
Beyond Mail: The Surprising and Essential Uses of London's Postal Codes: A Complete Guide London is a city of layers, where history is not only inscribed in the architecture and streets, but also in the very systems that are used to deliver the mail. To the outsider, a London postcode, a seemingly random combination of letters and numbers such as SW1A 1AA, may appear to be little more than a simple way of organizing the mail. But to those who live and work in London, such alphanumeric designations are so much more. They are a navigational tool, a shorthand for social class, and an essential part of the modern economy. From hailing a black cab to determining insurance risk, the applications of London's postal codes go far beyond the realm of the postal service. A Compass for the City: Navigation and Transportation The first and most obvious use of a postcode is, of course, navigation. In contrast to standard zip codes, which can cover huge geographical areas, UK postcodes are in...