Using google.co.uk automatically adds a UK country bias. It gives the 
same result as calling

http://maps.google.com/maps/geo?q=SK7%203HZ,UK&output=csv&sensor=false&ke
y=my_map_key

Method 2 allows Google to use the full postcode, since the Royal Mail 
will sell them a licence to do so on their own web pages, but refuse to 
sell then a universal licence to redistribute that service.

The redistributable geocoding service is only permitted to geocode the 
outcode "SK7", but the database doesn't contain a single location called 
"SK7" it contains six locations "SK7 1", "SK7 2", "SK7 3", "SK7 4", "SK7 
5" and "SK7 6". Which one of these you get when it tries to geocode 
"SK7" is arbitrary. As it happens, when you geocode with the UK bias you 
get "SK7 4" and when you geocode without the UK bias you get "SK7 2". 
The licence doesn't allow the Google geocoder to look at the "3" part of 
the incode to return you the "SK7 3" match.


The bottom line is to always obtain the street address when geocoding UK 
locations.

http://maps.google.com/maps/geo?q=Zurich%20Gardens,SK7&output=csv&sensor=
false&key=my_map_key


-- 
Mike Williams
http://econym.org.uk/gmap


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