Peterborough named as 'one of the favourites' in UK City of Culture bid
Peterborough has been named as ‘one of the favourites’ to land the big prize after bidding to become the UK City of Culture 2029.
The team at https://www.olbg.com/ has shared the latest City of Culture winner predictions, and Peterborough is currently ranked 5th, with a 25% implied probability.
The other towns and cities to have bid to become City of Culture 2029 are Wrexham, Plymouth, Ipswich, Blackpool, Bristol, Swindon, Exeter and Portsmouth.
A spokesperson for OLBG said: “While leading betting sites are not yet offering official markets on the event, compiled entertainment odds reflecting industry discussion now place Wrexham at 1/2, implying a 66.7% probability of success.
“The North Wales city has seen its profile rise significantly in recent years and its cultural momentum appears to have translated into strong early market confidence.
“Plymouth sits next in the market at 6/4, with Ipswich and Blackpool joint third favourites at 2/1.
“Peterborough (3/1) and Bristol (4/1) round out the main challengers, while Swindon, Portsmouth and Exeter sit further back in the early projections.”
Since announcing the bid, Peterborough has hosted – and announced – a number of major cultural events, including the Helios ‘giant sun’ exhibition at Peterborough Cathedral, and the huge Titanosaur display that will arrive at the Cathedral in April.
A number of organisations and companies – including the Peterborough Telegraph – have backed the bid, which was made official with an ‘Expression of Interest’ being made earlier this year..
Submitting an Expression of Interest will not cost local taxpayers anything.
Announcing the bid last month, leader of Peterborough City Council, Councillor Shabina Qayyum, said: "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.
"Putting forward an Expression of Interest for UK City of Culture 2029 is about turning that belief into action. It is about refusing to let our qualities go unnoticed, backing our communities and creativity, and setting Peterborough on a path to be recognised for its true potential.”