Bolsover bids to become city for Queen's Platinum Jubilee

A market town with a historic hilltop castle is among 39 locations bidding to become a city in a competition to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Bolsover in Derbyshire is competing against much larger towns like Northampton and Reading.

District council leader Steve Fritchley, said it was "an excellent opportunity to put Bolsover on the map".

The winner will be decided in spring and announced shortly afterwards.

Applicants have been invited to outline why their area deserves city status by highlighting any distinct features and links to royalty.

Mr Fritchley said: "Our residents and staff are some of the most enthusiastic and hard-working you will come across. We are a hotbed for entrepreneurs.

"We have got royal connections as Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria were entertained at Bolsover Castle in the 17th century and Bess of Hardwick was one of the most notable figures of Elizabethan English society. "

The Cabinet Office says winning city status can boost local communities and open up new opportunities for people who live there.

Mr Fritchley said: "Bolsover needs to be nationally and internationally recognised for its history and heritage and our ambitions to continue to develop it as an area of economic growth.

"This is an excellent opportunity to put Bolsover on the map and I will look forward to welcoming people to the city of Bolsover in the future."

Other locations bidding for the upgrade include Blackburn, Bournemouth, Colchester, Dudley, Milton Keynes and Warwick.

In a second part of the competition, existing cities have been invited to bid for Lord Provost or Lord Mayor status.

Derby is in the running alongside 11 other cities, including Bath, Gloucester, Lincoln, Sunderland and Wolverhampton.

The city's mayor, Robin Wood, said: "Our bid reflects Derby's compelling story as a place of innovation and collaboration.

"Derby was the cradle of the industrial revolution and today is a global centre for hi-tech transport engineering. We're very proud of our heritage and we're ambitious for the future.

"Lord Mayor status for my successors would provide Derby with a civic figurehead to match the extent of our great ambition."

Ministers will work with an expert panel to decide the winners.

Their decision will need to be approved by the Queen before the winners are announced next year.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook,Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].