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The Great Exhibition 2012 heading for Peterborough
The Great Exhibition 2012 Family figures promoting the event in Peterborough. Picture: David Lowndes/Peterboroguh ET
ORGANISERS of a huge celebratory event have pledged to give Peterborough residents the “biggest party ever” by holding a fortnight of festivities in the city.
Organisers of the Great Exhibition 2012 say they have chosen Peterborough as the venue for two weeks of celebrations during August next year.
They claim that the event could attract a million people to the city and bring in around £40 million worth of revenue.
Precise details of the celebrations have yet to be unveiled but the city’s Embankment, cathedral, Central Park, London Road football stadium and Nene Valley Railway have been lined up as venues.
The Great Exhibition 2012 is billed as a series of events designed to help people celebrate all that is great about Great Britain.
Julie Benson, the chief executive officer of the Great Exhibition 2012, said: “We’re building up to give the people of Peterborough the best party they’ll ever have – it will put the city on the map.
“This event has the potential to change people’s lives and give everyone, old and young, a rare chance to come together and celebrate.
“I want people from Peterborough to celebrate everything that’s good on their doorstep and throughout the UK.
“But I also want people from across the country to come to Peterborough, see for themselves what a great city it is and join in the party.
“I also want it to leave a legacy in place so that future generations can hold similar events.”
Ms Benson said that Peterborough was chosen ahead of places such as Birmingham and Warwick because of the city’s excellent infrastructure.
She added that talks were at advanced stages regarding possible venues and that more details would emerge in the coming weeks.
She said: “Peterborough stood out because it’s a small city where all the attractions would be within walking distance of each other.
“The city has excellent road and rail links which will make it easy for people to get here.
“The city council has been very keen to accommodate us. We have discussed certain sites with them including the Embankment and Central Park and they have given us the dates when the sites are free.
“We have also been in discussions with the cathedral, Peterborough United Football Club and Nene Valley Railway.
“All these discussions have been positive and we now have to finalise our plans before unveiling them.”
The Great Exhibition has been in the pipeline for more than a decade and is being privately funded by a combination of corporate sponsors and individual donors.
The idea behind the event stems from the original Great Exhibition held in 1851 and the Festival of Great Britain held a century later.
The event has been designed to tie-in with the Olympic Games being held in London next year – giving people extra reason to celebrate.
Ms Benson added: “The Great Exhibition 2012 will capture the spirit from The Great Exhibition 1851 and The Festival of Britain 1951 and harness the celebratory mood that the country will be in for 2012.
“This is an opportunity for us to promote our industries, our creative talents, our tourism and the people that make Britain great.
“The Great Exhibition 2012 will showcase Britain across all industries and talents comparing our regions and presenting the best of Great Britain in a celebration of the 21st century.”
It is also hoped that the event will create a number of temporary jobs for people in the city as it is anticipated that a large number of people will be required to act as marshalls throughout the course of the events.
Cllr Janet Goodwin, cabinet advisor to the leader of the council, who is responsible for tourism in the city said: “The Great Exhibition 2012 sounds like it could be a great event to help put Peterborough on the map and attract visitors to the city and we look forward to hearing more about it from the organisers over coming months.”
What do you think?
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What is the Great Exhibition 2012?
THE Great Exhibition 2012 was founded when it was announced in 2005 that London had won the bid to host the Olympic Games in 2012.
Organisers want to celebrate Britain and its achievements while the eyes of the world are focused on the country.
They have chosen Peterborough to host the event ahead of other cities including Birmingham.
The exact plans for the celebration are yet to be announced but organisers have indicated that the event will be family-orientated and large scale.
Organisers are also appealing for people to nominate aspects of British life which they feel make the country great and have set up an online vote.
This covers all aspects of British society and culture including favourite landscapes and coastlines, attractions and architecture, industry and commerce, accents and customs, food and drink, cities, towns and villages.
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