A Welsh town is gaining a much needed tourism boost from having the world's steepest street - but surveyor Toby Stoff is adamant the title should be returned to Dunedin's Baldwin St.
Toby Stoff enjoyed some Welsh hospitality but his visit confirmed his belief that Baldwin St is steeper than the main street of Ffordd Pen Llech. Photo: Supplied
Stoff recently undertook a fact-finding mission to Wales, where he visited Ffordd Pen Llech in Harlech, which dethroned Baldwin St as the world's steepest street in July.
His findings backed up his claim that Baldwin St is steeper than its Welsh rival. Now he's putting together a new application to Guinness World Records.
Stoff told Sunday Morning that he and his colleague took measurements in Ffordd Pen Llech to confirm what they suspected. "But there's nothing quite like rocking up and doing it yourself," he said of his visit to Wales.
Listen to the full interview from Sunday Morning.
He said Ffordd Pen Llech had been able to claim the title, by hugging 10 metres of an inside curve on one corner, for their case. "...That inside piece is really steep and difficult to navigate with a vehicle, but the cars don't even drive it."
Baldwin St in Dunedin on the left and the world's current steepest street which is in Ffordd Pen Llech in Wales. Photo: 123rf.com/ITV News
Stoff said the Welsh were "absolute legends" in the hospitality they provided and his visit had been brilliant.
"They got the title under the rules at the time. They really need the tourism - let's be 100 percent honest.
"While we were there you could fire a cannon ball down the main street... they've generated some real interest and more tourism which is what they desperately need."
He said Baldwin St was now the busiest it had ever been, and it was not Dunedin's only attraction so it was not the end of the world to lose the title - but it would be good to have it back.
He said it had been a fun experience to bring the issue onto people's radar.
However, the project had been a lot of work and stressful at times. He was still in the process of finalising his report to send to Guinness which he would submit after Christmas.
While some media were unhappy with Guinness's attitude in justifying its decision to award the title to Harlech, they were a big institution with thousands of world records to handle: "I fully understand where they're coming from," Stoff said.
