Seven towns for Shropshire area for England don register interest to become di first ever UK Town of Culture for 2028. Di competition wey government organize go give di winning town £3 million to run cultural program, similar to City of Culture wey start since 2013. Di towns wey no apply yet get until 31 March to submit dia interest.
Di government talk say di competition dey aim to “fosters a sense of local pride” and “spotlight the cultural contribution of towns to our national story”. Dem go judge each town based on criteria like strong local story and high-quality arts, heritage, and creative industries. Below na di seven Shropshire towns wey don enter for alphabetical order.
Bridgnorth na unique market town wey dem divide into high and low town, connect by UK oldest and steepest inland funicular railway. Di town originally grow well because of River Severn and di trade wey e bring. For one time, Bridgnorth be di largest inland port for Europe. One of Bridgnorth most endearing attractions na di Theatre on the Steps – 180-seater venue wey dey halfway down passageway wey dem build inside sandstone cliff. Di historic Severn Valley Railway, wey link Bridgnorth with Worcestershire via steam trains, also attract thousands of visitors each year. Volunteer station master Chris Thomas talk say, “We bring an awful lot of business to Bridgnorth, which is helpful in this day and age.” E add, “I love the whole place. It’s such a wonderful, quirky town and I love the people. The town has some magnificent architecture and even our main station building is Grade II listed because it’s unique.”
Broseley na one of Shropshire smallest towns, with population of about 5,000 residents. But for im size, e pack punch. Because of im proximity to di world famous Ironbridge, wey dem build to link industrial Broseley with mining town of Madeley, Broseley dey steeped for heritage and be home to many ironmasters. Di town also get thriving arts and cultural scene, with annual film and music festivals, plus popular amateur dramatic society and monthly artisan market. Marianne Ayling, wey run di town community cinema, talk say, “Culturally there is so much going on in this town. There is so much provided by the community, for the community. We have choirs, bands, a theatre, the cinema, art groups and a busy library. We really punch above our weight.”
Ludlow get plenty medieval charm, with impressive castle wey dey on cliff above di picturesque River Teme. Di town also full of independent bakeries, restaurants and cafes, make am di foodie capital of Shropshire. Im program of festivals dey impressive considering di size of di town. Annual events like Ludlow May Fair, Ludlow Food Festival and Ludlow Fringe Festival bring thousands of visitors to South Shropshire each year. Jess Laurie from di town main arts centre, The Assembly Rooms, talk say, “Ludlow punches way above its weight when it comes to what we offer. We know that there are many people in Ludlow who do not access culture for a variety of reasons, and winning this would hopefully give us an opportunity to make sure we’re including those people.”
Market Drayton dem first record as market town for 1245 and e grow for 19th Century with di arrival of railway and canal. Di town now famous for im brewing heritage, street market and gingerbread. E also get museum, arts and performance centre and community-owned farm. Gemma Williams from Image On Food, wey get bakery for di town for almost 40 years, talk say, “Billington’s gingerbread has been made in Market Drayton since 1817. Gingerbread has become ingrained in the town’s history and culture and spirit. There’s a lot of people who work hard to make Market Drayton the town that it is. And winning Town of Culture would mean such a lot, and the town would be a really good fit.”
Oswestry events calendar dey impressive like di town history, with im long-running Oswestry Show as well as di Balloon Carnival. Di area defining landmark na di well preserved 3,000-year-old Hillfort – dem often refer to am as “the Stonehenge of the Iron Age“. Di town proximity to Wales don help shape im unique heritage, with Welsh-language street names and small population of Welsh-speakers. Soldier and poet Wilfred Owen, wey dem widely recognise as one of di greatest voices of World War One, born for di town. Natalie Bainbridge from Oswestry in Bloom, wey don win many gold awards for im displays, talk say, “We have a lot of volunteers who want to create a nicer environment to live in. We have some beautiful architecture, we have a beautiful park in the middle of town, and we’ve got such a wide variety of community groups that are doing amazing things. We have a lovely community spirit and it makes it a vibrant place to be.”
Shrewsbury, wey dey nestle for loop of River Severn and get more than 600 listed buildings, na di county heart of Shropshire. E boast di longest uninterrupted row of independent shops for UK, Britain Favourite Market and di first iron-framed building for di world. E also be di birthplace of naturalist Charles Darwin. Maggie Love, creative arts consultant and local historian, talk say, “Shrewsbury attracts creativity and has history running through its veins. From dance and theatre to music, heritage and community projects, this town has always found ways to bring people together through culture. A UK Town of Culture bid is a chance to tell our story with confidence, celebrate what we already do so well, and inspire people of all ages to get involved.”
Telford, di UK Town of Culture 2028, go take place exactly 60 years after dem officially create Telford. Di post-war “New Town” don expand well for recent decades to become large conurbation. Yet di area heritage, including di Ironbridge Gorge, wey dem regard as di birthplace of di industrial revolution, add significant historical weight to di borough bid. Telford also known for im vibrant town centre and town park, wey host many annual events, including di Balloon Festival and St George Day. Popular YouTube chef Adam Purnell, wey dem know online as The Shropshire Lad, talk say, “It sometimes gets a bad rap, but actually there are some beautiful green spaces and interesting diverse community, and I think it’s getting better all the time. I think there’s plenty that we can pitch to be at the forefront of the competition.”
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