Business verdict on Teesside region's brand
Jul 26 2010 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette
LOCAL business leaders will give their verdict on the region’s identity later today.
Almost 2,000 readers completed the Evening Gazette’s identity survey - with just over half opting for the name Teesside as the one to describe the place where they live.
Those responding to the survey also gave the name Tees Valley a resounding thumbs down.
Gazette Media Company and the Institute of Directors is holding a special event later today and are inviting members of the local business community to come along and share their thoughts on the identity issue.
Following a presentation on the survey’s results, the audience will be asked for their comments and feedback, before finishing with a vote on the region’s identity.
In the survey, the Teesside name got 1,000 votes - 50.7% of those responding - well ahead of any of the other options.
Support was even greater among those aged 35 or under, with 62.1% opting for Teesside.
Cleveland, which existed as a county for just over 20 years and was abolished in 1996, scored 254 votes (12.9%), while only 59 (3%) respondents backed the name Tees Valley. North Yorkshire or Yorkshire had a combined total of 504 votes (25.6%).
There was a clear view about what the area’s airport should be called with 1,801 (91.2%) backing the name of Teesside.
Just 173 (8.8%) supported the name of Durham Tees Valley, which was adopted in 2004.
