Brid enters Town of Culture race

Leaders at Bridlington Town Council are currently putting together a bid and are asking residents for their opinions.

Two drop-in events will be held in the council office on 2A Marshall Ave, Bridlington, on Tuesday, March 10 – a two-hour session in the afternoon and one in the evening.

The bid is currently at the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage, and this has to be completed by the end of March.

The winning bid will receive £3 million, while two runners up will each receive £250,000 to ensure they are able to take forward key parts of their proposals.

One of the people at the forefront of the Bridlington proposal is Councillor Andy Walker.

He said: “The first step is for us to complete a formal expression of interest and we are hoping people will get behind us.

“We need to get a meaningful Expression of Interest entry submitted by the end of March.

“The quality of our application will be judged by the Government’s Expert Advisory Panel and they will then choose the towns who will make a formal bid.

“If we managed to win, the Government would fund an arts and culture programme to the tune of £3 million.

“It would be a wonderful accolade for the town and be a real boost for all those groups and people who help the fabric of the town day-in, day-out.

“If we could give them a significant lift, that would be brilliant. However, it’s a big competition and there’s a lot of work to compete in a significant, country-wide contest.

“There is good funding available if the Expression of Interest is accepted – town’s get £60,000 to develop the bid – and that funding is worth having as it helps you connect with people in a meaningful way.

“There is a lot going on in Bridlington, apart from the historic culture.

“It’s not just art and entertainment, it’s things such as the historic and music scene culture in the Old Town; we have the quay with all its fishing heritage; the history of gansies, and there’s so much more – Bridlington really is diverse!

“It going to be quite a bit of work to get the Expression of Interest together to a standard where we have a good chance of winning.

“We need to connect with groups and the general public – and we have a couple of two-hour engagement sessions on March 10.”

“We want to hear from our residents, who will have great ideas that will help the town’s cultural progress.

“It would do us a world of good if we could progress, it would raise morale and give something for us all to be proud of.”

Bridlington and The Wolds MP Charlie Dewhirst has welcomed the bid and offered his full backing.

He said: “This is a once in a generation opportunity for our town and I am proud to give it my full support.

“I am truly fortunate to represent one of the most beautiful and diverse constituencies in the country and Bridlington is one site which captures the very best of the UK’s coast.

“The town is a place like no other – with history, art, tourism and industry intertwined. And with five million visitors to the town annually there is so much culture for them to see!

“For example if you wander the cobbled streets of Old Town you’ll discover beautifully preserved Georgian buildings, independent galleries and antique shops. Head down to the harbour you’ll see our proud fishing fleet that has been the lifeblood of industry in the town and has shaped our cultural identity for centuries.

“We have so much talent and creativity in Bridlington and a successful bid would allow us to shine a national spotlight on our local artists with a chance to celebrate our unique coastal identity.

“With the winner receiving £3 million to stage a landmark cultural programme this is a terrific chance to boost tourism and showcase the best of Bridlington and build even greater pride in our community.

“I urge every resident, business, artist and volunteer across Bridlington to get involved to build even greater pride in our community.”