Plans to rename Halkett Street in St Helier have been scrapped.

The town Constable has decided not to go ahead with changing it to Rue Ivy Forster, after Jersey's first female politician.

There had been a public backlash to the idea and concerns from retailers.

Simon Crocroft, Constable of St Helier, says that he would rather focus on the refurbishment than the controversy surrounding the name.

"I've been stopped in the street, I've had letters from people who feel that it's an important part of our heritage.

"Other people have argued that if you're going to change the name go back to the old French name."

"There's certainly not any urgency about changing the name, the urgent thing is getting the street refurbished."

Earlier this month, the St Helier Roads Committee agreed a makeover for the Halkett Street that will include a new stone surface, lighting, seating and planting.

The Town Hall said it would also be putting the renaming of the road to a Parish Assembly at the end of the month to get final approval.

It wanted road will become 'Rue Ivy Forster', to commemorate Jersey's first female States Member, and to 'end confusion with nearby Halkett Place'

However, hundreds of people took to social media to object.

"Who decided this to be a good idea and why? Nothing better to do? Our money going to people sitting around a table saying 'I know, let's change a street name. That will go down well with the public!' "

"What is wrong with the name Halkett Street, utter madness to change it!"

"Seems like this name change is as popular as calling Twitter by the new name of X  It will always be Halkett Street to me too "

Constable Simon Crowcroft  now says the refurbishment of the area is too important to be sidetracked by an argument over the name.

"We had thought that the refurbishment of Halkett Street would be an ideal opportunity to rebrand this important part of the town centre whilst also removing any confusion between Halkett Place and Halkett Street.

However, I recognise that there is little support for a name change at the moment, and the refurbishment of Halkett Street is too important a project for it to be sidetracked by the renaming proposal."