In part one of our special report focusing on Blackburn's city status bid, we look at the elements which make the town such a wonderful place to live, work, and play. 

Blackburn’s bid for city status has been formally submitted by the council – in the very same year the town celebrates the 100th anniversary of King George’s Hall.

The decision to bid for city status as part of the Queen’s Jubilee competition is timelier than ever before – marking a century since the town’s iconic theatre and music venue first opened.

And fittingly, it was King George V who laid the very first foundation stone.

The application, curated by the council as per the competition rules, was submitted to meet the competition deadline on December 8, and using the strapline, 'Blackburn, Lancashire: A City of Our Own Making', the town's bid focuses on its strengths and unique assets.

Blackburn is a cathedral town – with one of the newest in England nestled next to the impressive £34million Cathedral Quarter complex – home to 21st century office space, a hotel, restaurants and cafes all just a stride away from Blackburn’s rail and bus stations.

Lancashire Telegraph:

It has one of the best education systems in the world, from Star Academies, which is one of the best performing multi-academy trusts, to schools such as Westholme and Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, which attract international students.

Blackburn’s University Centre at Blackburn College is another living example of the community coming together to create a new setting to serve local needs.

Meanwhile, civic pride has never been greater, with Blackburn town centre winning the Great British High Street of the Year Award in 2016.

Blackburn with Darwen Council was also awarded Council of the Year in 2018 – the third time winning the accolade in an unprecedented recognition of the borough’s governance and leadership.

And very recently, Blackburn was crowned gold medal winner in the Britain in Bloom competition, for the fourth year in a row.

Lancashire Telegraph: CITY BID: Blackburn’s Cathedral Square is the jewel in the town’s crown; and below, Blackburn Cathedral

But it's the town's people who make Blackburn; they are fiercely proud, something which is evident in the army of 2,000 volunteer litter-pickers who have joined the borough’s ‘red bag revolution’ scheme since it launched just three years ago – together collecting thousands of bags of litter each year.

Home to the BBC’s radio station serving the whole of Lancashire; one of the most historically significant football clubs in Blackburn Rovers; and world leading businesses and inventors - they are all here as you would expect of somewhere with city status.

Not only that though, Blackburn is an ancient Lancashire market town, with a population of just 5,000 in the mid-18th century, growing to more than 129,000 in the early 20th century, when the town was transformed into 'the weaving capital of the world'.

It is now home to more than 130,000 residents, a multi-billion pound economy and over 4,000 businesses – some of the biggest in the world.

Textiles still have a place in Blackburn too, as a leader in developing performance fabrics, which are used in a myriad of industries, from motor racing to fire prevention.

The Textiles Biennial held every two years celebrates the town's industrial history but has also inspired creative thinking – flax is now being grown in Blackburn, which will be used to make clothing in a local mill, and it is home to the annual Festival of Light and to the nationally significant National Festival of Making – attracting people to Blackburn from all across the globe.

Some of the greatest inventions were made here in Blackburn including the modest aerosol, Formula One engines, and John Noel Nichols, inventor of the nation’s favourite soft drink Vimto, was born here.

Blackburn is a multi-cultural town with a sense of togetherness, proud public and private sector partnerships and fierce entrepreneurial spirit.

Part two of our special report will be online tomorrow.