TWO business owners last night defended claims that Darlington does not do enough to promote itself.

Graham Robb, partner at Recognition PR, and Carol Huitson, client services director at RDW Advertising, said they had worked on a string of projects to promote the area in the past year.

They were speaking after Alasdair MacConachie, chairman of the Darlington Partnership and managing director of car dealership Sherwoods, said the town needed to be more vocal in promoting its benefits.

But Mr Robb and Ms Huitson said some projects in the town, including the refurbishment of Lingfield Point as a business park, had already attracted high-profile recognition from public figures, including MPs William Hague and Alan Milburn.

Recognition PR is working with Darlington Borough Council and regional development agency One NorthEast to promote the town's flagship office and leisure development at Morton Palms, Mr Robb said.

The development has attracted investment from City and Northern, One NorthEast and the council and is in line to be home to local, national and international businesses.

Mr Robb said: "I have seen the area grow and prosper and worked on major projects which have attracted interest on a local and national level.

"I believe that Darlington council has always been pro-active in promoting the area. However, their marketing team need the support of the wider business community to compete for the attention given to Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester."

Ms Huitson said: "Darlington has a great deal of potential and is becoming a more recognised destination for businesses all over the UK.

"Everyone has heard of the likes of Bannatyne Fitness and Saks Hair and Beauty, but do they actually realise that these businesses were both established in and now base their head offices in Darlington?

"I agree that we still have a long way to go in terms of changing the perception of this market town. The tools are slowly being put in place and the work is certainly going on behind the scenes."

Last week, Mr MacConachie, who was backing The Northern Echo's campaign to persuade Government departments to move to the region, said the town's public relations initiative to promote Darlington needed to be improved.