Leading British design writer Rick Poyner has let The Guardian's remake marinate for a week and, in a post at Design Observer, is positive, with reservations.

The main problem with the front page is the fold. This creates a visible surface smaller than a tabloid and, when turned sideways on a newsagent’s shelf, it does little to attract attention. The unnecessarily large teasers and the masthead monopolise more than half of the visible area. Unfolded, the front page is attractive, but it remains to be seen whether the new five-column grid, which replaces an eight-column grid, has enough flexibility. In the first week, the paper used two picture placements twice on the front page — a slightly worrying sign. The row of news summaries at the bottom further reduces the space available to create striking lead stories. So far, the front pages have lacked the old Guardian’s news focus and drama. They are trying to squeeze too much in.

Inside the main paper, the pages are clearly structured, with sharp headlines and good use of white space, and the different weights of Guardian Egyptian give plenty of typographic variety.

It is the masthead that grates most of all. Gone is the Garamond (which was intended to signal stylish features) and the Helvetica (hard news) and in their place is a blue and white logo in a font dubbed "Guardian Egyptian". Hillman says the new look reminds him of "cheap newspapers and freebies".

He says: "It's almost the same blue as Metro. There are these free newspapers in Europe called 20 Minutes, published in France, Germany and Switzerland and very successful - they also all have this blue background to their masthead. I find it cheap. It looks like an upmarket freebie."

Hillman had wondered if the blue masthead might change hue each day, in line with the kaleidoscopic advertising campaign and reflecting the newspaper's increased use of colour. But that hasn't happened.

The Guardian Egyptian he finds "inelegant", failing to represent the values of the newspaper.

>The Guardian's New European Look [Design Observer]
>Why the new Berliner gives me the blues [The Independent]