Tedd1
I was a mature student about to embark on a nursing degree at Oxford Brooks university. Having difficulty finding the place, I asked an older gentleman if hy could point me the way. He scratched his head and then he said to me “ oh you mean the polytechnic “. He obviously didn’t acknowledge where I was going as a proper university!!
to be fair, that's not necessarily snobby though.
it's how i might think, but probably translate in my head and not say. he may not even have known that it was now called brookes.
it's to identify the desired location or building, esp as so many have changed the label outside.
similar thing happen with hospitals, and even some business premises. eg the telegraph building in fleet street, even though the newspapers all moved out yonks ago.