St Andrews steps up bids for city status as part of Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Fife Council has already confirmed it will support two submissions for city status as part of the civic honours competition to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 - one for St Andrews and the other for Dunfermline.

Those must be in by December 8, so, with that in mind, members of the north east Fife committee have agreed to back arrangements for St Andrews’ bid ahead of the deadline.

It is being taken forward by St Andrews Community Council, which is due to hand it to Fife Council on December 1 for final sign-off.

Local councillor Jane-Ann Liston confirmed the documentation is almost complete and will make a comprehensive case for St Andrews.

“I think we’re going to put up a good show - it’s almost a case of what to leave out,” she noted.

“A small group of people in St Andrews are working very hard on this to get it in before the deadline.”

Bids must include an introduction comprising no more than eight A4 pages of text highlighting why the area deserves city status.

That will touch on areas such as identity, civic pride, cultural infrastructure, heritage, record of innovation and associations with royalty.

A profile of the area highlighting issues such as economic activity, public green spaces and sport and leisure facilities will also be required, as will up to 50 photographs of permanent features of the area and a detailed map of the area showing the main tourist, leisure and entertainment sites and green spaces accessible to the public.

North east FIfe community manager Donald Grant added: “City status would help distinguish St Andrews from the many towns in the UK.

“Also, the recognition of St Andrews as a city in Fife, and not just a golf course or a day visit from Edinburgh, would benefit the rest of Fife.

“The community council believes that they it has resources around its community to produce the submission document and would only request that Fife Council check it for accuracy, sign off and submit.”

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