MP welcomes £125,000 sweetener after Wrexham beaten to City of Culture status
An MP has welcomed Wrexham's award of £125,000 to take forward elements of its runner-up City of Culture bid.
For the first time in the competition's history the runners up will receive money to take some of their own ideas forward.
Simon Baynes MP, whose constituency includes the Chirk area, praised Wrexham County Borough Council for putting together an “impressive” bid for the UK City of Culture 2025 competition. The announcement was made on Tuesday that Bradford had won the title.
Mr Baynes added: "It’s a great credit to Wrexham to come runner-up and very good news that the county will receive £125,000 from the UK Government, the first time this has happened in the competition, to support the bidding team in taking forward some of the most exciting elements of the bid.”
The announcement was made live on BBC TV's The One Show by secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, Nadine Dorries.
Mr Baynes congratulated Bradford on its win and added: "We are all very proud of the massive achievement by Wrexham County Borough Council in putting together such an impressive bid which was much praised by the judges."
Wrexham is planning its own 'year of culture' and more details of that will be outlined next month.
