© Copyright Clive Nicholson and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
Bournemouth has lost out to Chelmsford in its bid to become a city, despite topping a YouGov poll last month as the town most deserving of the honour, along with Reading.
One town from each country in the United Kingdom was chosen to be granted either city status or a Lord Mayoralty, in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Perth, in Scotland and St Asaph in Wales were also given the right to call themselves cities, whilst Armagh in Northern Ireland will now have a Lord Mayor.
Other towns to fail in their city bids included Bolton, Colchester, Croydon, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes and Reading.
Southampton was also unsuccessful in its application for a Lord Mayoralty.
The awards were made by the Queen, on advice from Deputy Prime Minister and Lord President of the Privy Council, Nick Clegg.
Mr Clegg said: “Congratulations to Armagh, Chelmsford, Perth and St Asaph who have been granted these rare honours from a field of exceptional entrants. Across the United Kingdom, I have been moved by the pride and passion which people have shown in putting their nominations forward.”
He added: “The standard of application was very high, and those who missed out should not be downhearted. I hope the competition has given the residents of all of the places which applied a sense of civic pride, of collective ownership and of community spirit.”
The award of city status or a Lord Mayoralty is only rarely made by the Queen, the last newly made cities being Preston, Stirling, Newport, Lisburn and Newry to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002.
New cities will not receive any additional powers, functions or funding, their status being purely honorary.
Here’s what Twitter users had to say about Bournemouth’s failed bid:
