Thumbs down to new image

Bolton Council chiefs and consultants worked together to reinvent the town and on Wednesday revealed their findings, entitled A Brand For Bolton.

They have devised a theme based around the image of family, promoting the town as friendly, welcoming and homely, as well as successful and forward thinking.

There will be slogans such as "Come on in, make yourself at home . . ." which will feature on "Welcome to Bolton" signs.

It is hoped the £90,000 campaign will make Bolton's image more appealing and establish it as a bigger business and tourism centre.

But most shoppers we showed the designs to were less than impressed.

Seb Tyrer, aged 21, of Deane, said the money would have been better spent tackling social problems in the town.

He said: "I do not think it is a good look for the town. It just seems like a massive waste of money to me.

"Who is going to be impressed by this when our roads are filled with holes?"

Lilian Shuttleworth, aged 43, of Breightmet, said: "I do not think there is anything special about it and it is a hell of a lot of money to waste on something like this."

Stacey Thompson, aged 19, of Deane, said: "We need money spending on community facilities for youngsters and tackling Bolton's drug problems, not on a new logo."

Even shoppers from outside the borough felt the campaign was unlikely to boost Bolton's image.

Joanne Greenhalgh, aged 38, of Wigan, said: "It's a bit boring. It needs to be bolder because it doesn't really capture the imagination or say anything interesting about Bolton."

Anita King, aged 44, of Wigan, said: "It doesn't seem to say anything about Bolton or present the town in a new or interesting way."

But Tracy Lomax, of Breightmet, was in favour of the new designs.

She said: "They are very eye catching and have a very fresh look. They make you look twice and think of Bolton in a positive way.

"I think they will help to attract tourists and business here."

Keith Davies, Bolton Council director of regeneration and development, said: "Many local people have been involved in creating this new identity for Bolton, including those that live and work here, run businesses here, as well as organisations such as the university and Bolton Wanderers.

"When we've presented the results back to all these groups, we've had an overwhelmingly positive response, with people genuinely excited about the future vision.

"It is also important to remember that the visual identity is the packaging for a strategy in which all Bolton's partner organisations are working together to improve and regenerate the borough."

Read how we announced the launch of A Brand For Bolton in the Bolton Evening News on Wednesday.