Storytelling could be at the heart of Barnard Castle’s potential bid to become Town of Culture 2028.
The town stands to win between £60,000 and £3 million for events and activities in 2028 if it enters the Department of Media, Culture and Sport competition.
Expressions of interest in entering the competition close on March 30.
The idea of entering was first mooted at a town council partnerships meeting in February.
The committee includes town councillors, The Bowes Museum, TCR Hub, The Witham, Barnard Castle Christmas Lights and the Meet organisers.
At the time of that meeting there was concern that there had been little response to an initial call for interest.
However, a second appeal led to the preparation of a basic “expression of interest” compiled by town clerk Martin Clark.
Interested parties met last week to discuss jazzing up the expression of interest document, and to think of ideas of how to promote the town to the judges.
The general feeling of the meeting was that the “vision” section of the expression of interested needed work.
Town councillor and pub landlady Rima Chatterjee said: “It’s a bit dry. It is just the vision bit that we need to make an impact with. That has to be eye-catching for us to be noticed.”
The idea of telling the story of the town was mooted by town crier Ian Kirkbride and he pointed towards including the Teesdale Mercury in the bid.
Cllr Kirkbride said: “Very few towns are left with a local newspaper. That newspaper has been reporting the culture of this town for 150 years or more and continues to do so. I think that is eye catching.
“People have got hung up on the word culture, and as soon as people see the word and they see the word Barnard Castle, they think The Bowes Museum. Yes it is – but what is longer in culture terms? People have been coming to this town to see The Meet far longer than they have to visit The Bowes Museum.”
He noted that the Mercury also has an extensive events guide, showing the huge variety of cultural events and activities that take place in the town and region each week.
Sarah Gent of TCR Hub agreed, saying the newspaper gave a ”voice” to a wide variety of groups and grassroots community initiatives like the town’s working men’s club and Christmas lights group.
She added: “I think stories is a really interesting hook and I like the Teesdale Mercury connection, because I think it’s telling stories about Barnard Castle.”
Mentioned by the group as examples of culture in the town were theatre in the form of The Castle Players, numerous artists, crafters, musicians, and writers, particularly world-renowned author Anne Fine OBE.
It was suggested that the group ask the author to help write the vision. Cllr Chatterjee said: “She knows the town. We’ll give her all the information we have and she could bring it together with some humour and pizazz.”
Development worker for the area’s local network (formerly Teesdale Action Partnership) Annalisa Ward suggested including government advisor Dominic Cummings’ infamous eye-test visit to the town during the Covid pandemic.
She though it might be linked to many of the town’s tourist attractions, such as the castle, being “hidden” from plain sight.
The Mercury confirmed last week that the Madame Doubtfire author is interested in getting involved in the bid.
Ms Fine said: “I’m always happy to put my name on stuff that will help Barnard Castle.”
The final decision to enter the race will be taken by the town council when it meets on March 23.
