A councillor has defended his idea of rebranding Gravesend as Gravesend-upon-Thames, despite mixed feedback from national newspapers and local residents since we broke the story last week.

The suggestion by Cllr Jordan Meade at a Gravesham council cabinet meeting last week was scoffed at by several outlets, with the Daily Mirror suggesting the name change might help Gravesend ditch its reputation as the “armpit of Kent”.

The Telegraph noted that the town was voted the sixth worst place to live in England in 2013, and many local people have also talked down the idea.

David Ward wrote in to the Gravesend Messenger this week: “This makes a nonsense, it will not attract more people to the Gravesend.

“Places that add ‘upon-Thames’ straddle both sides of the River Thames, Gravesend does not.”

The vast majority of Kent Online readers also don’t think much of the proposal, with 68% of people voting ‘no’ in our poll.

“This makes a nonsense, it will not attract more people to the Gravesend" David Ward

Comments suggested the council focus its money on other issues, such as attracting bigger brands to the town centre, supporting local businesses and promoting the borough’s history and heritage.

Dartford and Gravesham Greens described it as “a PR exercise with no substance”.

Despite the negative feedback, Cllr Meade, cabinet member for youth and tourism, remains upbeat about the town’s prospects as the council looks to come up with ideas to deal with huge government cuts over the next three years.

Responding to The Telegraph’s coverage, he tweeted: “It is regrettable to see our town talked down by some. I am proud to live in #Gravesend. I have nothing to say to people talking down our town.”

He later told the Messenger: "Residents may have an understandable resistance to change but this is not a new idea. It is one that has existed long before I was elected to the council back in 2015.

"This suggestion is simply about rebranding our heritage offer, rekindling our links to the River and promoting our unique position on the south bank of the Thames."

Gravesham council's scrutiny committee discussed the idea last night, alongside other cost-cutting measures related to tourism, town centre management and public events. It will go back before cabinet on November 7.