Newcastle-under-Lyme wins Britain in Bloom
It comes as the town celebrates its 850th anniversary
Newcastle-under-Lyme is celebrating this morning, after beating off national competition to win Britain in Bloom.
It comes as the town celebrates its 850th anniversary.
Newcastle won its category as the best ‘small city’ in the United Kingdom, along with a Gold Award for the quality of its entry - and then claimed the overall prize for best winner.
Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said: “I am delighted that we have been judged the best of the best, especially in the year that we celebrate our 850th anniversary.
“It is impossible to win this prizes unless the whole community pulls together: schools, businesses, community groups and volunteers have worked together to make this possible and I am so proud of this shared achievement.”
In the RHS Britain in Bloom ‘small city’ category, Newcastle was competing against Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent, Derry in Northern Ireland and the Borough of Oadby and Wigston in Leicestershire.
The national inspection took place earlier this summer and as well as seeing traditional set-piece floral displays, judges visited projects undertaken by community groups and volunteers.
Starting at the Brampton, judges toured parts of Bradwell, Knutton, Silverdale, past Keele and then round to south-west Newcastle before returning to the town centre.
Queens Gardens was planted with annual bedding on the theme of the 850th celebrations, and the entry took a sustainable approach by providing herbaceous and perennial planting on town centre roundabouts, including for pollinators, and native tree planting as part of the Urban Tree Planting Strategy.