More towns join race for UK Town of Culture title

More towns in Leicestershire are planning bids to be named the UK's first-ever Town of Culture.

The government has invited towns to enter the new competition, which will run alongside the existing UK City of Culture contest, which was won by Bradford in 2025.

Hinckley and Melton are set to join Coalville and Ashby-de-la-Zouch in entering the contest to win the title in 2028.

The government said the competition would boost local pride and said the winner would be awarded a £3m prize, with two runners-up receiving £250,000 each.

Melton Borough Council leader Pip Allnatt said: "We are already ahead of the game on this and we have been working on it for some weeks."

"It's about the whole fabric of what makes a place tick, and what makes people happy," Allnatt added.

"This is an opportunity but it's not a council thing. It's about local people telling us what's important to them."

"We are a centre of agriculture and food production and we have a great heritage attached to that."

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council leader Stuart Bray said: "Hinckley is a town that punches above its weight.

"It would be a great first UK Town of Culture.

"The council would lead this but we will be getting the whole community behind the bid."

To ensure towns of all sizes are represented, the competition's three finalists will include one small town (with under 20,000 population), one medium town (20,000 to 75,000) and one large town (over 75,000).

Towns have until 31 March to enter expressions of interest.

Sir Phil Redmond, the television producer who created Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks, will chair a panel that picks the winners.

"Town of Culture is all about celebration, and that means actually telling us why your town is great," he said.

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