PLANS to rebrand a Herefordshire town and use a backwards D have been debated by councillors after a backlash – with the council itself called clueless if it thought it was a good idea.

As part of a £90,000 project to give Bromyard a boost after the coronavirus pandemic, a new logo was proposed by graphic designer Lucy Grafham.

But that logo sparked a huge online backlash, with Jeremy Vine wading into the row during his BBC Radio 2 show, suggesting the vowels could be removed instead.

The project team, working on behalf of Bromyard and Winslow Town Council which was awarded the money from the Government-backed Great Places to Visit fund, said 275 people responded to the consultation.

There were mixed comments when consultees were asked about the branding, which also included a new yellow to go with branding, as well as slogans such as "loved as it is".

Consultants Nifty Communications said in a presentation to Bromyard and Winslow Town Council on Monday that comments ranged from "gimmickish and lacks impact" and "dumbarse idea of a backwards D", to "great to see fresh ideas" and "attractive and comprehensive".

But one comment scalded the council, saying: "Clueless would be a word that springs to mind about those in the council if they believe a backwards D is a good idea.

"Also are they aware it that can't be copied on a standard keyboard do difficult to replicate in any written documents or signage.”

Bromyard and Winslow Town Council voted unanimously in favour to follow the project team's recommendations, including ditching the controversial backwards D.

That was despite Bob Ghosh of K4 Architects, also involved in the project, saying that it had worked and given the town publicity. He was speaking on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show last week when plans were mocked.

But before voting, some councillors said they liked the backwards D, but would vote against it due to public feeling – with Charlene Johnson, who lives in the town, wearing a dunce hat to the meeting – complete with a backwards D.

"Just going back to that reversed D, I like it," Coun Ann Collingwood said.

"I'm clearly the only person in the world that does, but I really do. I think it's got a meaning to it.

"I know you can't have it in the main bit, but I do think it has something about it. It's obviously already attracted millions of people so it's doing a really good job on its own."

Councillor Mark Franklin said: "I actually quite like the backward D, but i don't think it's worth the controversy that would go with it.

Coun Dee Dunne-Thomas agreed with Coun Franklin, with all councillors voting to drop the D.

Other elements of the project, such as signage and artists, should also now go ahead, but the only other vote by councillor was to use the suite of interpreted church carvings interchangeably for the branding.

All councillors voted in favour, apart from Coun Fred Clark.

The full list of recommendations from designers included removing the backwards D from the main logo, but possibly keeping it for some merchandise, focusing artwork in the town and not the subway under the A44 Bromyard bypass, and rethinking the straplines.

Also on the list of suggestions was to include local walks on new signs in the town, with four "totem" signs and six fingerpost signs dotted around the town.

Designers also recommended considering alternative planting schemes for the civic garden, between the town council offices and the heritage centre, and asking for volunteers to maintain it. It was initially suggested that vegetables could be grown there for the food bank.

They also said a focus on local producers and independents for market stalls would be better.

There has also been criticism from locals over the lack of consultation, but Rose Regeneration, which is involved in the bid, said it had consulted more than it was required to by the funding guidelines.

Guidelines also stipulate what the money could and could not be spent on, with a focus on sprucing the town up and enticing tourists.

Once plans were drawn up by the project team, which include a revamped civic garden, new signage for visitors around the town and more artwork, they were presented to the public.

But with the money needing to be spent "within the next six to eight weeks", according to town clerk Karen Mitchell, there is little time left to tweak the plans.