Hartlepool

CTConsults and HemingwayDesign were commissioned to develop a place brand for Hartlepool, supporting more than £160m of town centre regeneration. Early engagement, however, revealed a more fundamental challenge. While there was ambition for change, there was insufficient cross-sector collaboration and shared ownership to sustain a successful place brand. Rather than continuing with the commission, we recommended a different approach.

Working closely with the council, we developed a roadmap that identified the governance, partnerships and community relationships needed before a place brand could succeed. This required honest conversations and a shared commitment to putting long-term place leadership ahead of short-term delivery.

Hartlepool responded by establishing a Town Board, commissioning a Cohesion Review and implementing a Restorative Justice programme to strengthen relationships across communities and organisations. Together, these initiatives built stronger partnership working, greater trust and more inclusive decision-making.

When CTConsults returned a year later, we found a place that was genuinely ready to develop a shared place brand. The project became the foundation for our Place Brand Readiness Review methodology, now used across the UK to help places invest in the right interventions at the right time, improving outcomes and avoiding unnecessary expenditure.