Town launches renewed bid for city status

Doncaster has today launched its bid to gain city status, and is calling for all residents, businesses and communities to show their support for the borough through the “Going for City Doncaster” campaign.

The honour is granted through a competition for UK towns held to coincide with significant royal milestones, this time as part of the celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, next year.

Doncaster’s bid, which will be submitted on 8th December, is being compiled by Team Doncaster, a strategic partnership of organisations from across the public, private, voluntary, community and faith sectors in the borough.

Successful towns will then be awarded city status in 2022.

Ros Jones, mayor of Doncaster and chair of Team Doncaster partnership, said: “We’ve been waiting a long time – this will be our fourth attempt and we believe the time is right, given how far we have come, that Doncaster City becomes a reality.

“Lots of people I meet already think we are a city – and we are in all but name. We think, look and behave like a city and we have so much more than a lot of cities already including an international airport, a wildlife park, a racecourse, historic and modern architecture including only one of three Mansion Houses in the country – our people, communities and businesses and innovators – there is so much to share.

“I am immensely proud of Doncaster. I know Doncaster is already on the map for so many brilliant things and certainly this royal stamp of approval will boost our fortunes even further.”

Dan Fell, chief executive of Doncaster Chamber, said: “Bidding for city status is, quite rightly, a tough test. However, the business community believes in our borough and believes that – with classic Yorkshire grit – we can amply prove that we can surpass the criteria set and tell compelling stories about our borough, our assets, and inspirational people.

“This is not being big-headed about Doncaster or hiding the fact that local partners have much to do to continuously improve our borough. However, we have achieved much over the last decade and we are recognised nationally as punching well above our weight. This bid therefore provides an opportunity to evidence just how far our amazing borough has come in recent years. We are a significantly different place, in our outlook, in our successes and our ambition. We are an innovation hotbed and have a civic minded business community that prides itself on getting things done. We have successfully diversified our economy in recent years and there is strength and opportunity in that diversity, just as there is strength and opportunity in our wonderfully diverse communities.

“The pandemic has shown that our communities are caring, hard-working and supportive of each other and wrap an arm around anyone in need. These qualities are what we need to show so I am urging everyone in Doncaster from school children, communities, sports clubs and arts organisations through to our businesses big and small to get behind the bid. Come and add your voice to ours by backing the bid!”

Cheryl Williams, director at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, said: “We want everyone – people of all ages, and all communities to get behind this bid and show their support for Doncaster. Being recognised as a city will bring a wealth of opportunities – raising the profile of the area as a destination for tourism and for new and growing business and investment, as well as strengthening our voice at a national level. It will really help to reinforce and further the great progress that has been made in recent years.”

The “Going for City Doncaster” campaign launches on Thursday 28 October and will run throughout the period leading up to the bid submission. Short video clips will be released each day, featuring a wide range of different voices from all communities, speaking about what city status for Doncaster means to them. These will be supported by other messages and discussion on social media and other communications channels using the hashtag #GoingForItDN. Everyone is encouraged to join in the campaign and show their support by creating their own videos and posting photos of their favourite places across Doncaster