Dorchester bids for city status in jubilee competition

Dorchester will bid to achieve city status as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations next year.

Councillors at a Dorchester Town Council meeting on Monday voted in favour of the historic Dorset market town entering the competition.

They argued city status would reflect the town's historical importance and its recent growth.

As part of a jubilee competition for the first time in 10 years, towns will be able to compete for city status.

Dorchester's latest attempt comes after a failed bid for city status a decade ago, reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

In recent years the town has seen the near completion of Poundbury, refurbishment of the County Museum, the revamp of Shire Hall as a tourist attraction and developments like Brewery Square.

Councillor Stella Jones said: "Ten or eleven years ago we were not thought good enough, but we've got bigger and better since then… it would be good for tourism if we had city status."

Councillor Robin Potter added: "There's 2,000 years of history in the town and that deserves recognition."

Other towns announcing their intention to bid include Swindon, Medway and Reading.

Each bid will have to make a case why they deserve the special status with applications due to close in December.

Recommendations will be made by ministers to the Queen, and the number of awards will depend on the strength of the applications received.

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