One village with a hard sell for its brand name

SIR – Towns are being urged to “build a brand” in order to attract shoppers who might otherwise spend their money online (report, February 21).

The Staffordshire village of Loggerheads has probably got the toughest sell. Rory Mulvihill

Naburn, North Yorkshire

SIR – Around 10 years ago Network Rail repainted the railway bridge spanning the principal road approach to Rochdale, and offered to include a slogan at no cost to the council.

As the tourism officer I was keen to keep the existing slogan referring to the town as the birthplace of the modern cooperative movement, whereas my executive director preferred a “mission statement”. For once, I won the argument, and the sign is still there.

Unfortunately, the neighbouring borough of Oldham lost a similar opportunity to keep its slogan when the bridge bearing it was removed, and so few new arrivals now know that Oldham was once proud to be: “The home of the tubular bandage”. William T Nuttall

Rossendale, Lancashire

SIR – A treasured photograph of mine is of a man standing by a road sign for the tiny village of Crackpot in the Yorkshire Dales.

Nevertheless, I married him; and nearly 25 years on, I have rejoiced in every moment. Helen Jones

Ludlow, Shropshire