Businesses Using Google Maps To Set Up A Stall In Downing Street

It is one of the most famous addresses in the world and is the official residence of the prime minister of the United Kingdom.

William Gladstone, Benjamin Disraeli, David Lloyd George, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and, most recently, Boris Johnson have all called the street home. 

If any of the properties in the road were put on the market tomorrow, they would probably sell for tens of millions of pounds.

It is little wonder then that a business might see the salubrious address as the perfect place to set up a stall.

And just a few weeks ago a computer training company called “Abdulazizkalam” appeared on Google Maps in the famous street. 

The tech company’s website also had a map showing its location as Downing Street. 

They promised to help train up customers to make them “tech savvy” and transform them from a “non-tech person to an expert”.

A review on their website, supposedly from April, said: “It is a very good place for training. The PM usually comes here for any doubts while using his computer.

“It’s walking distance from 10D Street. Nice and friendly staff. The coffee could be better. Wait, that was tea? Oh lord. Nice.”

Andrew McDonald, a student who first spotted the business online, said: “I just happened to be on Google Maps looking for somewhere to eat near Westminster and I noticed that on Downing Street there happened to be a web support shop based there.

“I perhaps thought Boris was trying to set up a side hustle as he leaves No.10.”

Downing Street sources stressed that the company had “no affiliation” with them and that the business was not based on the estate.

“This company has absolutely nothing to do with us at all,” a source said. 

After HuffPost brought it to No.10′s attention, they contacted Google and asked for it to be removed. 

A spokeswoman for Google said: “Our team looked into this case and took immediate action to remove policy-violating content.

“We have clear policies that prohibit fake and fraudulent contributed content, and our automated systems and trained operators work around clock to monitor Maps for suspicious behaviour.

“We encourage our users to report misleading places and flag reviews, which helps us keep the information on maps authentic and reliable.”

It is unclear as to how the business came to be registered on Google Maps in Downing Street. Google’s own verification process includes a postcard sent to the address with a verification code. 

However, the tech giant is constantly targeted by fake business profiles by those trying to game the system. 

In 2021, they stopped nearly eight million attempts from bad actors to claim business profiles that didn’t belong to them.

We called a mobile number on the website and asked why their business was registered on Google maps to Downing Street. A man who answered said: “No, no, wrong number, sorry.”

Asked how his telephone number ended up on the website, he said he had “no idea” and it was “very bizarre”.

Before hanging up, he added: “I don’t own any business or anything, I’m not sure if someone’s trying to scam me or something.”

We have also emailed the company but not heard back. 

Just a few days later, another business popped up on Google Maps in the street, this time for a maid service called “FMM Domestic & Janitorials Services.”

According to its website, the South African-based business offers a “full suite” of domestic, training, and cleaning services for your home or office. We have contacted them for comment.