The winner of the competition will be crowned UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive a £3 million prize
Locals in a Cambridgeshire town say “it would be a real boost” if their town was chosen as the UK Town of Culture.
St Neots has recently announced its campaign to become the first UK Town of Culture in 2028. The programme will be led by Neotists CIC, a local cultural organisation, who aim to work with partners across St Neots and the wider local region to develop a bid that reflects the town’s identity.
Sir Phil Redmond, the UK Town of Culture Chair will lead an expert panel, judging towns on the way they’ll tell their unique story, how they’ll bring everyone in a community together, and how towns will deliver on their vision. The strongest bids will progress to a shortlist, with each shortlisted town receiving £60,000 to help deliver their full bids for the competition.
Three finalists with one small, one medium, one large town will be chosen and the winner will be crowned UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive a £3 million prize. The two runners-up will also each receive £250,000 to deliver elements of their bid.
We spoke with some locals to find their views on the bid, and what it could mean for the town.
Peter Alsop, who is 82-years-old lives in St Neots. He said: “I think it helps the town to progress, and also that it’s nice for the youngsters and people to be proud of their town.”
He added: “It is a nice little town, it has got most things that you want, and a lot of elderly people, and they seem to be putting more and more elderly people into this area.”
Peter said that once a new dual carriageway opens -which is currently under construction near St Neots and towards Cambridge, he thinks “people will move out of Cambridge, and they will come this way because it is cheaper for them and secondly if they can get into Cambridge, it will be as quick as if they lived in Cambridge.”
A 40-year-old lady who wished to remain anonymous has lived in St Neots for over 20 years and works at a local business. She said: “The town has loads of character. It has got lots of nice little independent shops, and I think it would be a real boost for the town.”
She continued to say that she hopes it will make an impact on the town, and be “just another thing to make it nice.” Her favourite attribute about the town is “how friendly the people are”.
David Horry, who is 82, has lived in St Neots for over two years. He said that he believes it could make a big difference to the town, and said that “it might bring more shops in, and might bring them [people] in.” If St Neots win, he said it would make him proud to live there.
David said that the town is “lovely compared to what we were used to, because we were out in the country and when we wanted to do something, we had to get in the car, and now we don’t.”
He continued: “It’s perfect. Everything is all here together. There’s a lovely market – it’d rather be a big market, but it’s winter.”
Mohammed Hussan, who is 39-years-old and runs a business in St Neots said that he is unsure whether they can win but if so “it would make me proud and would be good.” He continued: “The people are nice, and the customers are friendly.”