THORNBURY has missed out on the chance to be named the UK Town of Culture 2028.
The town council was one of 398 to apply for the government-run competition, a companion to the established City of Culture programme.
It was one of 42 contenders in the South West small town category: just one, Ilfracombe in Devon, made the shortlist of 15 and will now be given £60,000 each to develop a full bid.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “The fact that we received so many applications just goes to show how proud people are of their towns.
“I am so glad that so many towns have applied and I hope each and every town, whether they have been shortlisted or not, is incredibly proud of the work they have done to champion their local community.”
UK Town of Culture Chair Sir Phil Redmond CBE described the response to the competition as “overwhelming” and praised the “exceptionally strong and diverse range of applications” received from across the country.
To apply each town had to send in a digital postcard and a theme for their bid, listing some of their strengths.
Mayor Helen Ball said: “Our bid had our community at its heart and sought to build on the fantastic voluntary activity that already exists in the town.
“It was built on working in partnership with local people and organisations, with a focus on developing our cultural offer to celebrate and include everyone in Thornbury, particularly our young people and new residents.
“What the process did provide us with is some fantastic ideas, some of which we can still aim to take forward.
“We are now going to take some time to investigate what is still possible, although clearly on a much smaller scale than the £3 million first prize would have allowed!
“We are proud that we rose to the challenge of bidding for Town of Culture and now look forward to delivering as many of our ambitions as possible.”
Thornbury Town Council thanked everyone who supported the bid and contributed their “time, ideas and enthusiasm”.
Another celebration of town life planned is the launch of the Mayor’s Awards 2027, with a theme focusing on Environmental Action and Nature & Sustainability.
People are being encouraged to think about the individuals, community groups and businesses that deserve recognition for making a real difference to the environment.
Details of how to apply will be announced when nominations open in August.