Marazion has competition from 38 other places in the UK for city status

If successful, it would become the tiniest city!

Author: Radina Koutsafti and Emma HartPublished 23rd Dec 2021

39 places across the UK and British Overseas Territories are trying to get city status as part of a competition to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, including a tiny town in Cornwall.

Marazion is one of the 22 towns wishing to become cities, along with Bournemouth, Reading, Doncaster and Blackburn.

Other areas to submit a bid include Dumfries and St Andrews in Scotland, Wrexham in Wales and Ballymena, Coleraine and Bangor in Northern Ireland.

And for the first time ever, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies were also eligible to apply for the title.

Stanley in the Falkland Islands, almost 8,000 miles away, is one of the places to apply and there are also entries from George Town in the Cayman Islands and Gibraltar.

The competition is part of celebrations to mark the Queen's historic 70-year reign, with a special four-day bank holiday weekend set to start on Thursday 2nd June.

Not only would a win make Marazion the country's smallest city, it would become the most southern too, at just 15 miles from Land's End.

Local councillor Richard Stokoe said that the town is home to big supporters of the Queen and planned celebrations alongside the city bid.

He told Sky News: "Size isn't important. Marazion deserves to be celebrated and given city status".

He added: "It costs nothing. Achieving city status would further raise the profile of Marazion, stimulate local businesses and prosper the community.

"It's a magical, magical, magical place. This could put us on the map".

While Paul Elliott, the chair of Marazion's Chamber of Commerce, added: "More than anything, the people of Marazion are excited to share their beautiful town with the world and attract more visitors".

What places have applied for city status?

England

  • Alcester, Warwickshire
  • Blackburn, Lancashire
  • Bolsover, Derbyshire
  • Boston, Lincolnshire
  • Bournemouth, Dorset
  • Colchester, Essex
  • Crawley, West Sussex
  • Crewe, Cheshire
  • Doncaster, South Yorkshire
  • Dorchester, Dorset
  • Dudley, West Midlands
  • Goole, East Yorkshire
  • Guildford, Surrey
  • Marazion, Cornwall
  • Medway, Kent
  • Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
  • Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
  • Newport and Carisbrooke, Hampshire
  • Northampton, Northamptonshire
  • Reading, Berkshire
  • Warrington, Cheshire
  • Warwick, Warwickshire

Wales

  • Wrexham, Clwyd

Scotland

  • Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway
  • Dunfermline, Fife
  • Elgin, Moray
  • Greenock, Renfrewshire
  • Livingston, West Lothian
  • Oban, Argyll and Bute
  • St Andrews, Fife
  • South Ayrshire, Ayrshire and Arran

N. Ireland

  • Ballymena, County Antrim
  • Bangor, County Down
  • Coleraine, County Londonderry

British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies

  • Douglas, Isle of Man
  • George Town, Cayman Islands
  • Gibraltar, Gibraltar
  • Peel, Isle of Man
  • Stanley, Falkland Islands

As part of their bids, applicants were asked to talk about the distinct identity and community which they feel means their area deserves to become a city, as well as evidence of links to royalty.

Unlike previous Civic Honours competitions, an expert panel will work closely with ministers to make their recommendations, which will then be approved by the Queen herself!

The final decision will be taken in spring 2022 and announced shortly afterwards.

You can hear all the latest news on the hour, every hour.