A street in a musically-themed neighbourhood in Zaandam will be named Hobostraat (oboe street) after all, the Noordhollands Dagblad reports.

The name was changed to Piccolo in 2016 because residents said ‘hobo’ sounded too much like ‘homo’ and this would make them the subject of jokes.

On Thursday the local council said it was sorry it had bowed to the pressure and that in a town which profiles itself as a rainbow town such actions should not tolerated.

Four out of 13 parties with seats on the city council voted for the name Piccolo to be maintained.

There are various Hobostraats in the Netherlands, including Rotterdam, Helmond and Etten-Leur none of whose inhabitants have been known to complain about the name, the paper said.