Political View: Green Party support City of Culture bid
It was an evening of mixed emotions for the Peterborough Green party last Thursday. We were hugely disappointed that we failed to win the Fletton & Woodston by-election, losing to Reform in a closely fought contest.
After reflection we realised that our candidate Ed Murphy had pulled off quite a feat by comprehensively beating the Labour, Conservative & Lib Dem candidates. In recent years, the Green party has had a huge rise in popularity here in Peterborough & across the country.
We are delighted to support the bid which it is hoped will lead to Peterborough becoming the 2029 UK City of Culture. There is so much to be proud of in our city. When it comes to buildings, the cathedral is the centrepiece, and is perhaps what Peterborough is best known for.
No less a monarch than King Henry Vlll is reputed to have described Peterborough Cathedral ‘the finest building in Christendom’.
The cathedral draws people to our city & It's not just the architecture, magnificent though it is. As the resting place of Catherine of Aragon it plays a significant role in British & world history.
In recent years it has hosted hugely popular exhibitions such as the display of Tim Peake’s space capsule, the longest yarn, a knitted tribute to the D-Day landings, and currently the Helios sculpture of the sun.
There is so much more within the city centre. The artworks which are springing up all over the place, our stunning lido, a museum which provides a comprehensive study of our local history as well as regular exhibitions. The ‘Adventures in Time & Space” Dr Who event last summer had people flocking in from all over the country to see a fine array of Daleks and other familiar characters.
Of course everyone has their own ideas about what constitutes Peterborough’s culture and the bid focuses on city wide participation, neighbourhoods & communities. It's something that everyone in Peterborough can participate in and be a part of.
Amongst the more obvious claims to fame is the proximity of John Clare country just a few miles to the North West of the city centre. The late poet is renowned around the world, and perhaps one day the locations he wrote about may become as big a tourist draw as Thomas Hardy’s Wessex.
Peterborough is unique for its Archaeology. The Bronze age site at Flag Fen is considered to be one of the finest in the world. In addition to its reconstructed prehistoric landscape it now displays bronze age & iron age log boats found just down the road at Must Farm.
To the west of Peterborough we have the stunning Roman landscape around Castor.
An enormous Roman building existed on the site of what is now St Kyneburgha’s Church. Sections of foundation walls are still clearly visible in the surrounding streets. The world famous Water Newton Hoard,which is on display at the British Museum with a replica in Peterborough Museum, was found nearby.
At the moment the council is just submitting an expression of interest, with their city of culture bid. This will not cost the tax payer a penny. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the bid is a success. The benefits to Peterborough could be huge.