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Someone’s done a ‘totally objective’ ranking of every Council logo in the UK

There's 403.

Emily Sergeant - 21st December 2021

Whether you can believe it or not, someone has actually gone to the trouble of ranking the design of every single Council logo in the UK.

It’s mad, but the commitment to the cause can only be applauded.

There are a total of 403 Councils right across the UK which have been featured on this “totally objective” list compiled by freelance writer and graphic designer Robin Wilde – who also “once worked in politics” – and published to their blog website.

How have the logos been ranked? Robin explains that: “Each has been ranked using some broad criteria accounting for the adherence to design principles, the originality of the concept, and the technical execution, with nebulous bonus points added or subtracted on a whim.”

And out of the 403 Councils in the UK, Bury is at 402.

“Bury sits north of Manchester,” Robin explains, “and is notable for having one of the UK’s largest Jewish population clusters outside of London [but] unfortunately, it’s also got a logo like a dodgy construction company you’d see on ITV2.

“Bury Council pay cash in hand for a skip they never bother to collect,” they conclude.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council ranks at 275, Trafford comes in at 241, and Rochdale takes the 207th spot.

Manchester City Council itself then comes in at number 150.

Wigan takes 108th spot on the list, with its “understated and cute” heart and “generic colour combo” making the logo appear like “a mid-range gym chain”.

105th place on the list goes to Salford City Council, with Robin saying that although they “adore the bold hot pink” and the font is “nicely chosen”, the logo “doesn’t quite justify the existence of a council area which should by rights have been absorbed into Manchester years ago.”

Oldham Council takes 88th spot on the list, with Robin Wilde writing: “A gradient fill is best avoided with logo work as it limits your range of use cases, particularly against busy backgrounds or when no colour can be used.”

“The overall look is striking at a glance, however,” they added.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council has claimed 66 on this list, with it’s “crest, but make it tasteful” praised and noted that it “seems particularly prevalent in the North”.

Out of all the 10 Councils in Greater Manchester, it’s the borough of Bolton that has taken the highest spot on the list – and it’s the highest on the list by quite some way, we might add – coming in at number 28, with Robin Wilde explaining: “A solid slab serif wordmark on its own, it’s enhanced by its use in masking the colourful patchwork emphasising the city’s variety and diversity.”

The number one spot on the list has been awarded to Bedford Borough Council, which was praised for its “very strong use of pretty much every element” in its logo.

York, Renfrewshire, Wirral, and West Lothian each round out the top five.

You can read the ranking list in full here.

Featured Image – Flickr | Bolton Council, Tameside Council, & Bury Council