Monster Raving Loony Party leader Alan ‘Howling Laud’ Hope said he is ‘chuffed’ to have a new road named after him. Hope Walk close to fleet Railway Station, boasts four new detached homes. “The site was called 15 Fleet Road and Hart District Council wanted to call it village way” said Fleet resident Mr Hope who has served on Fleet Town Council as a Loony party member for four years.  “But Fleet Town Council didn’t like that and I suggested Hope Springs, which was accepted.  We sent the suggestion back to Hart and they said okay, but can we call it Hope Walk? I am very proud and chuffed that it’s gone through.”
Hope walk is close to a new 70-bedroom Premier Inn, which is set to be completed by the end of August. “Premier Inn will be opening shortly opposite the former Links hotel were we have previously held Loony Party conferences” said Mr Hope, 59, who became party leader in 1999 following the death of Screaming Lord Sutch. “It seems quite fitting that Hope Walk is next door.”
Last month Mr Hope, who was born in Mytchett, went to school in Farnborough and was landlord of the Dog and Partridge pub in Yately, failed to get elected to Hampshire County council. He was also unsuccessful in his bid to take the South Shields parliamentary seat in a by-election which was held to replace former Labour Foreign Secretary David Milliband who had resigned his seat.