Does Newport need a rebrand?

Newport needs lots of things but one thing it doesn't need is a new golf course. The swank Celtic Manor is just off the M4 and this of course will be home to the Ryder Cup in a couple of years. This could be the most exciting thing to happen to Newport in many a year. Not since the Chartists rose up in an effort to establish constitutional democracy has there been such an air of expectation. The Ryder Cup offers golf the chance to line up with Goldie Looking Chain in being a source of local cultural pride.

All this has been too much for the newly elected Conservative led council. Keen to be seen as full of new ideas, and to pull in as much tourist revenue as possible, they have hit upon the idea to rebrand the city. Newport sounds a bit downtrodden, they reckon, so best to call the city Newport-On-Usk instead. It seems there is an historical precedent for this. Back in the days before the industrial revolution Newport was indeed known as Newport on Usk. Thing is, as anyone familiar with the cost of London's Olympic logo knows, rebrands can be exceptionally expensive. And it isn't just logos. All council branded materials, all signs, buses, and letterheads, would need to be redone. the cost could easily run into hundreds of thousands.

As the city council has just been landed a below inflation settlement now would be the worst time to direct funds away from front-line services. And even if Newport-on-Usk sounds pretty there are any number of initiatives that could be taken in order to make tangible improvements to Newport's tourist infrastructure.

anyway- that is the background- here is Marshfield community councilor for Plaid, Keith Bennett, on the subject:

As a community councilor I know first hand how hard pressed our services are right now. Therefore I feel I have to speak out against this idea to change our city's name.

This Conservative led council has cut back on committees and allowances inherited from the New Labour administration. They said this was because the money would go to front-line services. Now they wish to put the money into an expensive marketing exercise instead. Newport City Council has had a below inflation settlement from government. Cuts will be made or taxes raised. To be ploughing tax
payers money into redesigning logos, and away from hard pressed public services like primary schools is frankly ludicrous. Or have the Conservative councilors forgotten that there is a credit crunch on?

The South Wales Argus argued against a similar re-brand of the Gwent Healthcare trust earlier this year. On the basis that it would detract money from front-line services. The Argus were correct then and they would be right to oppose this Conservative inspired waste of tax payers money now. The council should concentrate instead on making real improvements to this city not just changing the name. As Shakespeare said 'that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet'