WHILE the Euro-heads tried to bring about some sort of unity last week, Teesside folk singer Vin Garbutt underlined the strength of the regional, never mind national, sense of identity. "Darlo, you've got an identity," he told his audience of 200 at Darlington folk club while bemoaning the fact that Eston had been in Yorkshire, moved to Teesside, then became part of Cleveland but now, with the demise of that county authority, had found Cleveland being quietly dropped from postal addresses. "Where is it now?" he asked

There was more. "Everyone agree with keeping it as Teesside Airport?" he asked. Everyone did, for no contrary voice was raised.

Spectator's colleague in the audience, who was definitely a "yes", has also been wondering how Durham-Tees Valley is going to fit on the blue motorway signs. Durham-TV perhaps? What is much more likely is that on signs, and in day-to-day use, it will become simply "Tees Valley" and play into the hands of the hidden agenda merchants on local government reorganisation.

Tees what?

TEESSIDE'S image problem was highlighted this week by an airline's extraordinary description of the region's attractions solely in term of Newcastle and Gateshead.

bmibaby began their flights from Teesside airport in October and Spectator came across the faux pas in the airline's in-flight magazine on a return flight from Belfast.

It must, no doubt, have been challenging to find something inspiring to write about Teesside after profiling Dublin, Prague and Geneva.

Still, while Middlesbrough, Stockton and Darlington may not be as immediately trendy as some European cities, it does seem bizarre to completely ignore what this area has to offer and simply point visitors in the direction of Tyneside or York. It serves to underlie Teesside's difficulty. People who don't know it simply can't think of a good word to say about it.

More business-like

Trustees of the Hospitaller Order of St John of God, which is best-known in North Yorkshire for running Scorton hospital, have decided to change the charity's name.

The "rather cumbersome" title has been "The Trust Properly Administered in Connection With The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God."

Now it's "The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God Charitable Trust." Ten words instead of 15.

Mischievously, I wonder who among the six trustees had the idea of a pithier title? Four are Brothers, led by Brother John Martin. The fifth is businessman Tony Foy.