Branding & Website For a Food, Art and Culture hub
Y Maes, a food, art and culture hub in the heart of Criccieth, Wales, approached Yoke Creative Agency to create a brand identity and a one-page website ahead of launch.
The aim was to capture everything the venue stood for - Welsh food and drink, local creativity, a strong sense of place - and turn it into a brand that felt grounded and full of life.
That website has since grown into a full digital platform, as Y Maes has gone from vision to vibrant reality.
Here’s how we brought it to life.
WHAT WE CREATED
Brand Identity | Website Design + Build | Copywriting
The Brief
Y Maes needed a brand that honoured its past while embracing a fresh, dynamic future. Once a smithy, a workshop, and later a craft centre, the building has long been a space for craftsmanship and community. This legacy shaped our approach - blending history with modern creativity to create something that feels both familiar and new.
The challenge was to balance tradition with a warm, contemporary feel, and establish Y Maes as a landmark for food, art and culture in Criccieth and beyond. As the venue has grown, that balance has only become more important and the brand continues to hold its own across new platforms and spaces.
Why Y Maes?
In Welsh, maes means “square” or “gathering place” - a fitting name for a venue built around connection.The building has a history of skilled trade and creativity, from smithy to workshop to craft centre. Today, that spirit continues, with chefs, artists and makers bringing new life to the space.
Right in the heart of Criccieth, Y Maes is perfectly placed to bring people together - locals, visitors and communities from across North Wales.
The Process
Y Maes needed a brand identity that felt authentic - grounded in Criccieth’s history, but fresh, creative and inviting.
We began by defining its core values: community, craftsmanship and culture. These principles shaped every stage of the process, helping us build a brand that reflects the spirit of a modern food, art and culture hub.
The logo places Criccieth Castle at the centre of the identity, anchoring it to the town’s heritage. Hand-drawn details add a sense of craft, while the colour palette takes inspiration from the natural tones of Snowdonia. The typography combines clean, accessible fonts with expressive, characterful lettering - ideal for menus, signage and marketing.
Through brand strategy, collaborative workshops and moodboards, we refined a visual language that blends history with creativity. It’s distinctive, memorable, and built to work just as well on screen as it does in print - from signage to the full website experience.
Website design & development
We started with a one-page website to support the launch - a simple, engaging space to introduce Y Maes, set the tone, and build anticipation ahead of opening. A bold header captured the venue’s energy, supported by clear messaging and smooth navigation.
As the venue grew, so did the need for a fuller digital presence. We expanded the site into a complete platform, showcasing vendors, listing events, and making it easier for visitors to plan their visit or book private events.
We carried through the brand’s textures, type and tone, and integrated film by Let Joe Film to help capture the atmosphere of Y Maes in full swing. The result is a digital space that feels true to the real one - warm, lively, and full of reasons to come back.
Basic SEO optimisation was included from the start, helping the venue get found online by locals, visitors and food lovers searching for places to eat in North Wales.
“James and Maddy have been brilliant. They brought my ideas and business to life! I had a great experience working with them to brand the business and launch the website. They are very professional throughout all stages of the process and delivered just what we were looking for. Thanks for all your help so far, hopefully we can keep building this brand together in the near future!”
L Edwards - Founder of Y Maes Food Hall
We love working with places like Y Maes - bold ideas and full of energy.
From brand strategy to signage, from first website to full digital platform, we’ve been proud to help bring it to life. If you're building something that deserves to be seen, we’d love to help you shape it.
