Town of Culture: Frustration as Somerset towns miss out on prize

A tourism boss has said it is “frustrating” that no places across the West Country have been shortlisted for the UK’s first Town of Culture.

Nine places across the Somerset Council area applied for the honour of being crowned UK Town of Culture 2028, which is similar to the more established City of Culture scheme.

Bridgwater, Taunton, Watchet, Wells, Yeovil, Bruton, Glastonbury, Frome and Shepton Mallet all missed out on the 15-name shortlist, with 400 towns applying.

Giles Adams from the Visit Somerset tourism board said: “It’s frustrating. With respect to those towns selected, I don’t want to appear sour but it does strike me that there is a focus on the north and the south west misses out.”

“I think with these big competitions, there are very corporate and it always felt like things would be given to more northern town,” Adams added.