Five British towns have been awarded City status to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
The competition, which was entered by 37 towns, was won by Preston in the North of England, Stirling in Scotland, Newport in Wales and Lisburn and Newry in Northern Ireland.
Announcing the award, Lord Chancellor Lord Irving said: “These honours are sparingly bestowed as a mark of special distinction and the accolades were richly deserved by the winners.”
The applicants were judged according to notable features of regional or national significance, historical and royal features and a “forward-looking attitude.
Andy Levin, director of Preston-based developer Maple Grove, doesn’t think the new status will have an impact on the Preston market.
“It’s great news obviously, but it’s just a gesture. Preston’s always been the traditional base for the county, and has always drawn people. I don’t think city status will make much difference really,” Levin said.
Opposition MPs have claimed that the whole thing was a political fix, claiming that deserving candidates in Essex, such as Chelmsford and Colchester, were overlooked because they do not have Labour MPs.
Croydon, which bookies tipped at 25-1 odds to get city status, was also overlooked for the second time in two years. The town also failed to be selected as a Millennium City.
EGi News 15/03/0
