Clash over ‘naff’ tourism slogan

Meeting hears of public confusion

A row has erupted over a new tourism slogan for Stirling.

The Stirling - All of Scotland tourism campaign is set to be unveiled by Stirling Council next month.

The city’s SNP have said that they have been contacted by residents who are confused about the meaning of the slogan.

However Labour have hit back and told the opposition party to come up with some ideas of their own.

Plans for the new slogan were revealed at a meeting in January. New road signs are set to be put in place as part of the campaign, with a new logo for the area and promotional videos being filmed using drones by Glasgow advertising firm Maguires.

The new slogan was discussed at a meeting of Dunblane Community Council last week, where members said they were “confused” as to how the statement ‘All of Scotland’ relates to the Stirling area.

Stirling SNP said that their members had not been consulted on the plans, and had received complaints about the slogan.

A spokesperson said: “Despite mention of a widespread consultation, there was no attempt to seek the views of fellow councillors on this matter. It would have been useful to have opposition representatives involved in this process who would have been best placed to make sense of the proposed slogan - which has understandably been described by members of the public as naff.”

The spokesperson added that the original sign plans had included the Saltire flag, but this had been removed.

“Interestingly, sources from Stirling Council have revealed that the Tory/ Labour coalition’s leadership vetoed use of the Scots Saltire in this branding, as they feared this may be interpreted as ‘an SNP symbol’,” they said.

The claims sparked an angry response from Labour Councillor John Hendry. “What utter drivel from the SNP about the Saltire,” he said. “Here we have an anonymous SNP spokesperson quoting an anonymous council source.

“If that’s the level we’re descending to, then I think I overheard somebody in the council canteen saying they’d heard a ghostly voice say he’d heard the SNP group exploded like Lord Voldemort when somebody asked how they’d feel about a Union Jack on the branding. Isn’t it about time we heard an actual idea from the SNP rather than a complaint? Have they a slogan they’d like to put forward?.”

Stirling Council defended the slogan, and said it had carried out consultation on the plans. “We are clear that the branding needs to speak for the whole of the Stirling, the city and the surrounding areas, the rural and the urban,” a spokeswoman for the authority said.

“That is why we organised a number of engagement sessions at which representatives from local businesses, community councils, the third sector, rural areas and young people were able to hear about the proposals and provide their views.

“We are also clear that investment to help Stirling promote as a more attractive option for new businesses and tourists and a better place to live, work and study will be worthwhile. It will be in place in time for the main tourist season and will reflect the results of our engagement, building on the area’s many positives.”

Maguires, who are based in Glasgow’s West End, were selected to carry out the design work from the project as part of an open tender process.