Frustration as towns miss out on culture prize

2 hours ago

Dan AyersSomerset

Nine places across the Somerset Council area have missed out on being the UK's first Town of Culture

BBC Bridgwater River Parrott with a old bridge crossing the river with houses in the background. — Nine places across the Somerset Council area have missed out on being the UK's first Town of Culture

A tourism boss has said it is "frustrating" that no places across the West Country have been shortlisted for the UK's first Town of Culture.

Nine places across the Somerset Council area applied for the honour of being crowned UK Town of Culture 2028, which is similar to the more established City of Culture scheme.

Bridgwater, Taunton, Watchet, Wells, Yeovil, Bruton, Glastonbury, Frome and Shepton Mallet all missed out on the 15-name shortlist, with 400 towns applying.

Giles Adams from the Visit Somerset tourism board said: "It's frustrating. With respect to those towns selected, I don't want to appear sour but it does strike me that there is a focus on the north and the south west misses out."

"I think with these big competitions, there are very corporate and it always felt like things would be given to more northern town," Adams added.

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Other places in the West including Clevedon, Weston-super-Mare, Filton, Emersons Green, Corsham and Nailsea were also unsuccessful.

Towns selected for the shortlist include Ilfracombe, Sandown, Pontypridd, Port Talbot, Birkenhead, Grimsby and Rotherham.

Each place will now receive £60,000 to develop a full bid and three winners - best small, medium and large town bid - will be chosen early next year.

An overall winner from these three finalists then will be crowned the UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive a £3m grant to host cultural events.

Watchet was also unsuccessful in its bid

Lots of boats in a harbour with blue and cloudy skies in the background. — Watchet was also unsuccessful in its bid

Jeremy James, events manager at Bridgwater Town Council, said: "There will be disappointment as it does garner excitement and energy doing the bid.

"I think the West Country needs to bang its a drum a bit. There were over 400 towns that went for this so it was always going to be a lottery."

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "I am so glad that so many towns have applied and I hope each and every town, whether they have been shortlisted or not, is incredibly proud of the work they have done to champion their local community."

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