David Coates gets a ticking off from locals

Having read with interest of David Coates’ plans to establish NE6 in Newcastle as an offshoot of Edinburgh’s EH6 consultancy (DW l0 May), we were disappointed to learn that in stating his aim to establish Newcastle’s first pure design consultancy, he appears not to have done his homework.

The only comparison he cited as also offering advertising and direct marketing was Yellow M – his previous employer and a group whose creative founding partner was a former employee of The Design Group.

The Design Group is a “pure” design consultancy which has been based in Newcastle since 1953 and now employs 40 staff.

It undertakes design work for national and international clients across an ever-growing range of business and product areas.

While welcoming any expansion of the design industry in the region, we sincerely believe that this sort of uninformed comment devalues the excellent reputation of the region’s design community and does little to advance the creative profile of Newcastle.

We believe this sets the record straight.

Grant Marshall

Design director

The Design Group

Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 1QL