Scotland showed its support for Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 as the nation’s most iconic landmarks lit up in Paisley 2021 colours to celebrate the bid being lodged.
Friday 29th September was the deadline for Paisley to submit its second-stage UK City of Culture 2021 bid to the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Iconic landmarks across the country lit up in the Paisley 2021 signature red to show their support and mark the occasion. Participating venues included Edinburgh Castle, The Kelpies, University of Glasgow, Dundee’s Caird Hall and Paisley’s own Town Hall.
The country-wide celebration followed an emotional send-off in Paisley town centre on Friday where a large crowd joined more than 150 singers from eight local choirs for a mass musical performance of Wild Mountain Thyme led by local singing star Carol Laula.
The Renfrewshire town is the only Scottish location to make the final shortlist and the only town to get this far. Paisley’s bid will be considered alongside Coventry, Stoke, Sunderland and Swansea – with the winner to be announced in December.
The bid is part of a wider drive to transform Paisley’s future using its internationally-significant heritage and cultural story – and the send-off follows a massive £45.7m town centre investment package approved by Renfrewshire Council earlier in the week which will prepare the town to host the 2021 title.
The investment includes a £22m modernisation of Paisley’s iconic 19th-century town hall, £10m of public realm and transport improvements in Paisley town centre, £7.7m to upgrade St James Playing Fields to make it suitable for large outdoor events, a £2.5m upgrade to Paisley Arts Centre, and £3.5m to turn the disused Galbraiths warehouse in Back Sneddon Street into a new performance and visual arts space.
The bid send-off moment is the latest piece of good news to come out of the town this week as it was also confirmed earlier this week that Paisley Museum is in line for a £4.9m Heritage Lottery Fund grant.
Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 has generated huge support from local businesses over the past year. Renfrewshire Chamber are following in the footsteps of other big-name firms who have agreed to support the 2021 year – Glasgow International Airport, intu Braehead, Diageo, Gordon Leslie Group, Scottish Leather Group, The Malcolm Group, as well as Coats Group PLC, the world’s largest industrial thread manufacturer, which started life in the town.
Around 200 chamber members have pledged their support by the time the bid was submitted. You can see the full list at
paisley2021.co.uk/partners/business-backers/
Chamber chief executive Bob Grant, who is a member of the Paisley 2021 executive bid team, said:
“It is amazing to have the support from the whole of the country as Scotland’s Bid. Winning will bring huge benefits to business – it is estimated it would create 4,700 jobs and a £175m economic boost to Renfrewshire over the next decade,”
We would also expect to welcome 800,000 visitors in 2021, creating huge footfall for local traders, while a winning bid would also attract major infrastructure investment.”
Nick Finnigan, Executive Manager at Edinburgh Castle said: “We’re delighted to play our part in supporting Paisley’s bid. It would be unprecedented for a town in Scotland to be successful in securing the City of Culture mantle and we wish Paisley every success.”
Current UK City of Culture hosts Hull have seen £1 billion of investment since winning the title in 2013, with the city attracting 1.4m visitors in just the first three months of its year in the spotlight.
For more information on Paisley’s bid, see www.paisley2021.co.uk
