The UK's five biggest towns that are all desperate to become cities

Eight towns, including Colchester and Doncaster were palmy successful becoming cities successful 2022 (Image: Getty)

The Queen’s Jubilee successful 2022 saw 8 towns awarded metropolis status.

The grant followed a twelvemonth agelong contention arsenic portion of a bid of planned celebrations to people Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's historic, 70-year reign.

The Platinum Jubilee civic honours contention required applicants to amusement their taste practice and royal links arsenic good arsenic however their section individuality and communities meant they deserved to beryllium granted metropolis status.

Bangor, Douglas, Dunfermline, Doncaster, Colchester, Wrexham, Milton Keynes and the Falkland Island's superior Stanely were palmy successful gaining the important presumption but 30 aspiring towns were near disappointed.

Many person not fixed up anticipation and purpose to beryllium palmy if and erstwhile a akin accidental occurs again.

Stanley successful the Falkland Islands was granted metropolis presumption (Image: Getty)

What is the incentive?

Winning metropolis presumption tin supply a boost to section communities and unfastened up caller opportunities for radical who unrecorded there, arsenic has been the lawsuit with erstwhile winners Perth and Preston who saw benefits to the section system pursuing the award.

Speaking during the exertion process, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay said: “City presumption is not lone astir section pride, it tin present existent levelling up benefits for businesses and the section area.”

City presumption is often associated with the beingness of a cathedral, assemblage oregon ample population, but this is not the case. There are nary acceptable rules governing what tin and cannot go a city, arsenic the grant to Stanley successful the Falkland Islands demonstrates, being location to little than 3,000 people.

Colchester, erstwhile the superior of the past Roman province, was besides made a metropolis (Image: Getty)

The biggest aspiring towns

The size of immoderate of the towns denied metropolis presumption volition daze many, with the 5 biggest by colonisation size being location to implicit a cardinal people.

The 5 biggest are:

5. Middlesbrough 140,000

The town believed it had enactment unneurotic an breathtaking bid which showcased the champion of what the municipality had to offer, but was yet unsuccessful.

Mayor Andy Preston maintained position successful decision arsenic helium said: “Honestly, it's not a large deal, it's thing we would've liked to person had and thing - erstwhile we asked radical present - that they wanted america to use for.

“But it's not going to marque a quality to our plans and our ambition and our future.”

The town's politician maintained position successful the aftermath of the town's rejection (Image: Getty)

4. Reading – 165,000

The municipality is location to the University of Reading, rated by the Sunday Times arsenic the 24^th champion successful the state which has delivered implicit £500m of superior concern implicit the past decade.

It has birthed immoderate of the astir well-known English nationalist figures, with the Princess of Wales, Ricky Gervais, Kate Winslett and Jane Austin each being calved successful the town.

3. Dudley - 200,000

In the Midlands, the municipality of Dudley was an concern powerhouse passim the 19^th century.

Dudley Castle, which for centuries served arsenic the administrative centre for the West Midlands. The castle was the country of 1 of the much “interesting” humanities finds successful caller years, erstwhile condoms made from carnal membrane and dating backmost to the reign of James I were discovered here.

The castle was the country of a find of medieval condoms... (Image: Getty)

2. Bournemouth - 200,000

The seaside town is location to a assemblage and Premier League shot squad but was unsuccessful successful its bid to go a city.

As 1 of the larger towns to miss out, a assembly person reflected that though the grant is simply a title, gaining metropolis presumption could beryllium the cardinal to securing economical concern successful the area.

BCP Council portfolio holder for regeneration, Philip Broadhead told the Daily Echo: “Should Bournemouth get metropolis status, successful my eyes it cements the presumption that we whitethorn person 1 assembly but we person 3 fantastic towns wrong it to beryllium arrogant of.”

1. Warrington - 210,000

The working-class town successful the North West, champion known for its rugby league team, spent £4,800 connected its bid to summation metropolis status.

Council person Russ Bowden said pursuing the nonaccomplishment that helium was arrogant of the ambitious effort which helium said shows the imaginativeness of the aboriginal for the town.

Cllr Bowden said: “While it is disappointing that we person not been granted metropolis status, we tin look backmost with pridefulness connected our bid.”