Revitalising a forgotten district of Ashton-under-Lyne with a branded development

To find the cultural key to unlock the unique branding for St Petersfield we did some digging.

Our excavating took us back to Hugh Mason, the liberal politician and mill owner who was elected to Ashton council from 1856, and mayor from 1857 to 1860.

Mason was a social reformer and supporter of progressive politics. He was very much concerned with the working conditions of the employees of the mill he owned.

He created what was effectively a protective colony for his mill workers and was the first employer to give his workers Saturdays off.

Mason’s example gave us the hook on which to hang the brand identity of St Petersfield.

We combined a contemporary colour palette with graphics that referenced the cultural history of the area as a centre of textile production.

We could then follow this branding through various applications alongside placemaking, reinforcing the sense of cultural identity for the area. 

The result is a clear identity for the business quarter that is thoroughly contemporary but has roots that give it a clear and resonant context and a defined character.