Paisley invites you to help send off UK City of Culture 2021 bid

Paisley is planning to send off its UK City of Culture 2021 bid in style at the end of this week – and everybody is invited to join the party.

This Friday is the deadline for the five shortlisted places to submit their final bids to the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

The Renfrewshire town is the only Scottish place to make the final shortlist – alongside Coventry, Stoke, Sunderland and Swansea – with the winner to be announced in December.

And Paisley is planning to mark the occasion with a mass public send-off in the town centre on Friday morning.

Everybody is invited to come to the Cenotaph at Paisley Cross from 10.30am for a short Paisley-themed performance which will start at 10.45am and end in the bid being ceremonially waved off.

Paisley 2021 bid director Jean Cameron said: “We have been planning a very special moment which will allow people to show their support for the town’s bid.

“There is nothing which has greater potential to transform Paisley than becoming UK City of Culture in 2021.

“With more than 34,000 people involved in the conversation around the bid, there has been incredible backing so far – both locally and further afield as Paisley’s bid became Scotland’s bid.

“We are keeping the exact details under wraps as we want to keep it a surprise as much as we can.

“All I’ll say is the bid document has been written to capture as many Paisley voices as possible, and this short event will bring that concept to life in a way unique to us.

“Please come down and join us – I look forward to seeing a crowd of people there on the day. And if you can’t be there, please show your support on social media.”

The bid is taking place as part of a wider drive to transform Paisley’s future using its internationally-significant heritage and cultural story.

It is estimated Paisley’s 2021 year could bring a £175m economic boost and create the equivalent of 4,700 jobs over a ten-year period while attracting more than 800,000 visitors in 2021.

Current UK City of Culture hosts Hull have seen £1 billion of investment since winning the title in 2013, with the city attracting 1.4m visitors in just the first three months of its year in the spotlight.

For more information on Paisley’s bid, see www.paisley2021.co.uk