Town branding officially launched

After years of development and over £24,000 in investment, Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council has officially unveiled a bold new brand identity aimed at celebrating the town’s heritage while looking to the future.

Launched under the tagline “A New Newtown”, the branding was revealed this week as part of a major campaign to reposition Newtown as a vibrant place to live, work, visit, and invest.

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The brand centres around a striking, flexible NEW logo and is built on four key pillars: Place, Heritage, People, and Spirit.

According to the Town Council, the new identity aims to honour the town’s proud past—from pioneers like Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones to fashion icon Laura Ashley—while capturing the innovation and resilience that continues to define Newtown today.

The public are now being invited to experience the brand first-hand at the Newtown Brand Launch Exhibition, running at Bear Lanes Shopping Centre from Thursday, 10 April to Wednesday, 16 April (excluding Sunday), between 11am and 3pm. The exhibition features interactive activities, photo opportunities, giveaways, and new branded displays throughout the town.

However, the journey to “A New Newtown” has not been without challenges.

The town branding project began in 2018 and has cost the council more than £24,000 to date. The process gained traction when Cardiff-based consultants Heavenly were appointed to craft a brand identity following extensive stakeholder engagement. By June 2022, the council reported significant progress, including the development of a marketing plan and website.

In August 2022, an advisory group was formed to involve external stakeholders more directly, but not before controversy surfaced around transparency. In May 2022, town councillors voted to keep branding details confidential over concerns that early disclosure could undermine the launch. The decision drew criticism from some quarters, particularly after a Freedom of Information request later revealed an additional £2,500 had been paid to Heavenly for an extra briefing paper in September 2022.

The council is now encouraging local businesses, organisations, and community groups to adopt the branding in their own communications. Free brand assets and guidelines are available online.