Peterborough has lost out on its bid to be named the UK City of Culture for 2029

A Cambridgeshire city has missed out on being named the UK City of Culture for 2029 after the longlist was revealed. Peterborough confirmed it was putting in a bid for the title at the start of February to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The bid was backed by the Leader of Peterborough City Council, Councillor Shabina Qayyum, who, at the time of the bid going through, said: “To be ambitious and successful, you have to put ambition into action. When I was first elected as Leader, I was determined to put Peterborough properly on the map and to stop our city being overlooked.

“We are a city with extraordinary heritage and depth. From our 900-year-old Cathedral and its place in national history, to our rich archaeology, diverse communities and the landscapes that surround us, Peterborough has a story that deserves to be better known.”

The bid was being led by Peterborough City Council with help from a range of groups including Peterborough Tourist Board, Inspire Education Group, Peterborough Positive, and Peterborough Cultural Alliance. If the city had been longlisted it would’ve received £60,000 to prepare a full application.

Peterborough lost out on a spot alongside other areas including Bristol, Reading, and Exeter. Here is the full list of cities that were successfully longlisted:

• Blackpool
• Inverness-Highland
• Ipswich
• Middlesbrough
• Milton Keynes
• Portsmouth
• Sheffield
• Swindon
• Wrexham