December 9, 2021 7.00 am This story is over 27 months old

Boston council submits city status application

The application was backed by local groups and businesses
| Photo: Boston Stump

Boston Borough Council must now wait to find out whether the town will be granted city status after submitting an application on Wednesday.

The application has been supported by local groups and businesses and is part of a competition launched by Queen Elizabeth II for her 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Her Majesty the Queen approved the competition to grant city status to select a number of towns in the UK, for the first time in a decade.

All applicants will be judged on civic pride, heritage and innovation, and Boston is the only town in Lincolnshire to have entered.

The application identifies the town’s recent growth in the food industry, plus the investment from the Boston Town Deal fund. It emphasises history and heritage and its connections with our twinned partner places across the globe.

Read the full application here

Bidding for city status is often linked to bigger regeneration and promotion programmes that will continue in the future.

The application submitted states that: “Boston’s application will not just catalogue its history and provide a record of its features; it will capture the spirit of its people, both past and current, to present a new future fit for its bestowal and honour of city distinction.”

Councillor Richard Austin, Portfolio Holder for Heritage, said “I am delighted that we have taken this rare opportunity to bid for City Status. About 14 other towns are applying and the Queen will only select one. It will be a great honour if we are the one selected.”