Anyone else remember ‘01’ for London?

[KnewYearKnewMe]

I’m reading The Mandibles, and it talks about a fictional big deal when the US international country code for their phones was ‘downgraded’ from 1 to 2..

It got me wondering if anyone else remembers when London’s phone area code was just 01 all over – and the uproar when they changed it to 071 and 081? I still remember people getting really aggrevated about being lumped into “outer London” with an 081 number when they were sure instead of they should be thr apparently much posher 071!

It all seemed very snobby looking back. Yet people did get very wound up.

for anyone younger – this was back when we actually used landlines and knew people’s phone numbers - Imagine that 😂😂)

Would love to hear if anyone else remembers – or any other examples of people getting terribly snobby about something that seems pretty daft to you .

Yes!

My late grandmother was most put out to get an 081 code, as it didn’t seem like ‘proper’ London 🤣

In Leeds we changed from 0532 to 0113, and it must have been when I was at uni as I’m sure Leicester was 0533 but changed to 0116

Doreen Lipman doing an advert about whether 071 or 081 was more desirable.

I was just about to post and ask if anyone remembers this number as I couldn't remember what show it was!

We could work out your local exchange if we CBA, though.

Go for it! I haven't lived there since 1982 .

Crimewatch also used it for a while. The main “ring the BBC” public number got used by different programmes through the week.

😁

Watford

Omg I remember!!

Correct!

Maureen. Loved those adverts 🤣

My grandmother was her clone (just not Jewish)

Yes I’ve been watching the very first Crimewatch programs - 84/85

Ah, of course, Maureen! Doreen was my nan . Also rather similar to Beattie in the ads.

On YouTube? Thats one of my guilty pleasures too.

0203 isn't just central London. I first came across its use in Croydon of all places.

It got me wondering if anyone else remembers when London’s phone area code was just 01 all over – and the uproar when they changed it to 071 and 081? I still remember people getting really aggrevated about being lumped into “outer London” with an 081 number when they were sure instead of they should be the apparently much posher 071!

You could pay extra for an 071 number if you weren't in the 071 area.

I lived in inner London when the codes changed and it used to be "01 if you're outside London" and we started saying "071 if you're outside inside London". We thought we were hilarious.

I get the changing of 071 to 0171 to give everyone 11 digit phone numbers (I know not everyone does) but I never understood the point of the change to 020 7 as it doesn't create any more numbers.

i can still remember my childhood phone number from 45 years ago. My Mum used to answer the phone by reeling off the number. God knows why.

OMG - the outrage when Chiswick was allocated 081... outer London 😱

It was very costly for business having to change signage, advertising, stationary as pre internet so not just a case to updating a website.

"The number is 01, if you're outside London..."

Then it was 071 or 081 for a bit, before everywhere suddenly had to have the extra 1.

(always puzzled me why 071 and 081 hadn't been used already. Manchester was 061, Newcastle was 091. Was there already a suspicion that they might have to split London at some point?)

Dorien in Birds of a Feather paid extra to have an 071 number despite being in the 081 area.

Adding the 1 was a few years later. Some places totally changed their code - Leicester for example went from 0533 to 0116 2

Omg yes !! What a Trooper !

😂👏

There was a bit in Birds of a Feather where Dorian had paid to be 081 or 071 or vice versa.

Jinx!

Ha!