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COMMUNITY leaders have urged people in Didcot to get behind a £100,000 initiative to shake off the town's negative image.

South Oxfordshire District Council has spent Government money re-branding the town by cashing in on the area's cutting-edge technology in a bid to transform its reputation.

It wants to create a new vision for Didcot using a logo and motto 'Brilliant Didcot' to sum up the opportunities for employment, recreation, shopping and culture, and to draw people to the area.

Councillor John Cotton cabinet member for planning, said: "This is a really exciting opportunity for us to create a strong brand for Didcot, which symbolises the vibrant exciting place that Didcot will be in the future.

"We have to change Didcot from where it is, to where it needs to be. It is about changing the perception.

"But we have to get the perception right, and this is what this project is all about."

Craig Miller, SODC's Didcot project manager, said: "We want people to support the brand to help make it a success.

"The brand will be the glue to everything that is happening in Didcot, its principles will reflect everything that is happening. It is about creating a remarkable place to live, an inspiring place to work and a lively place to play."

Branding experts spent three months interviewing hundreds of residents and key stakeholder groups before hitting the drawing board. They came up with series of brightly coloured spheres containing a scientific motif as the logo for Didcot.

Mr Cotton said the internationally-renowned science campus at Harwell including the world-leading Diamond facility, Culham science base and Milton Park were key influences in the design.

He said: "The science aspect is hugely important. That is the big sell for the area and the key thing for Didcot. We need to link up with the science parks because they are well respected and well known.

Mr Miller said: "Didcot is literally in the centre of one of the biggest science and technology centres in the world and I don't think many people are aware of that." However, some residents were not very impressed.

Andy Hiscock, 28, of Ridgeway Road, Didcot, said: "I'm not sure about the design. It doesn't strike me as wow.

"I think Didcot is starting to do quite well in terms of changing its image anyway with the new developments."

Visitor Tony Parker, 36, of Abergavenny, Wales, said: "It's not my cup of tea. I think Didcot is a nice little place as it is, I like the way it's laid out and the little cafes."

Philip Stephens, 54, of Didcot, said: "It is an absolute waste of money. Where is the railway junction, the connection with the army and the fruit farms?

"The schools could have done better. It looks like something from Christmas."

Didcot Town Council leader John Flood said: "I like it, I think it's very versatile. You can put all sorts of things inside the sphere. I don't think the logo itself will shake off the image because I think the image of Didcot has already improved considerably." David Pryor, of Didcot First, a group which aims to promote Didcot positively, said: "Didcot First is very positive about the brand and we like the design.

"We are looking forward to seeing how the council is going to carry it forward."

The precise design will be finalised over the coming months before it is rolled out across the town.

5:34pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

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