Peterborough bid to become UK City of Culture delayed due to Covid-19

A bid was due to be made this year but will now be pushed back until 2021, according to Peterborough City Council.

A spokeswoman said: “We looked into making a City of Culture bid this year, however, it was decided to postpone this until 2021 due to Covid-19 and the transfer of Vivacity services back to council control.

“It is also felt that we would be more successful with a bid following the development of a cultural strategy with the Arts Council which will be happening later this autumn.”

Vivacity has been running cultural, leisure, heritage and library services in Peterborough for the past decade, but these were handed over to two council-controlled bodies - City College Peterborough and Peterborough Limited - from October 1 after the trust saw its finances decimated by the pandemic.

The UK City of Culture is a title awarded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport every four years, with the winner hosting a year-long programme of cultural events and celebrations.

It began with Derry-Londonderry in 2013, with Hull taking the title in 2017 and Coventry winning the bid for 2021.

The idea of Peterborough making its own bid has received cross-party support, with council leader Cllr John Holdich stating last year that 2029 was the likely year the city would be aiming to become City of Culture.

The authority had planned to spend £34,000 on a City of Culture consultation but this will no longer be spent.

Hull’s status as the UK City of Culture attracted more than five million people, £220 million of investment and 800 new jobs.