In-house name for Sketchley

Branding consultants have been labelled “too expensive” by a Sketchley spokesman after the group created a new name in-house for “less than £10 000”.

The textile and utility service group, which was formerly a loss-making dry-cleaning company, is to rename itself Semara Holdings, subject to gaining shareholder approval in September. Photographic chain SupaSnaps will be part of the group.

The spokesman says: “It was far more efficient and cheaper to do it in-house, costing less than £10 000 in all.”

When Guinness and Grand Metropolitan merged in 1997, they reportedly spent £250 000 for Wolff Olins to come up with their post-merger name Diageo.

The Semara name includes certain elements of Sketchley, in addition to the letters of its utility services unit ARM.