First things first, Newtone are based in Derbyshire (on a small industrial estate on the edge of Matlock) and not Nottinghamshire.

Second, thy produce both round and hex core strings - order their custom gauges (as I do for octave mandolin) and you get a choice. They advise that round cores are not cut until you put them on the instrument (I’ve never found the need to do that anyway) and Neil, who runs the operation, reckons that the round cores are slightly mellower from the outset than the hex cores.

As for longevity, I doubt that they’re any better or worse than anything else. If grot in the windings is a problem for you, use coated strings but they cost more and tend to go hairy.