Barnard Castle fails to make Town of Culture shortlist

Barnard Castle failed in its bid to make the shortlist of the Town of Culture competition despite a valiant effort.

The town council entered the competition in March and spirits were high when it was asked to produce a digital postcard for the competition.

Had it made the shortlist it would have won £60,000 from the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), and would have been in the running for £3m in the final.

Instead, DCMS judges chose Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane and Stockton Town Centre Ward as finalists in the small town category.

Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith,  Pontypridd and Port Talbot were medium town finalists, while Basildon, Birkenhead, Grimsby and Rotherham made it through in the large town category.

Cllr Rima Chatterjee who helped spearhead the bid alongside town crier Ian Kirkbride, said: “I am deeply disappointed.

“However, there is no doubt that we are what we are and proud to be so, no matter whether we are shortlisted by a panel of judges or not.

“We will continue to love and cherish our community the way we do. Cheers to beautiful Barnard Castle! Always a winner!”