Provost John Hulbert has made an appeal for the momentum of Perth’s bid for city status to be maintained over the coming months.
While no decision in the competition, which has been organised as part of the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations, will be made until early next year, the man heading the quest for the restoration of Perth’s city status in no doubt that interest cannot be allowed to wane.
“Perth’s competition entry for city status was lodged in London at the end of May,” says Dr Hulbert in a letter sent out to backers of the bid.
“A good number of copies have been distributed, and the comments we have received have been favourable.
“We are now planning a strategy to demonstrate a widespread support for Perth’s bid not only in Scotland, but across Europe and further afield by encouraging people to pledge their support online using the council website www.pkc. gov.uk/citystatus.
“It is absolutely essential that as many people as possible register that support by signing up online or returning a pledge form, also available online.”
Dr Hulbert is hoping that a BBC2 series of hour-long programmes featuring four towns in the UK Ludlow in Shropshire, Totnes in Devon, Scarborough in Yorkshire and Perth could help promote Perth at a vital stage in the competition.
Hosted by Nick Crane, who has been involved with many of the Coast programmes, the Perth programme is scheduled to be shown on Thursday, August 11 at 9pm.
“Although the series is not related to the competition for city status, it is discussed at some length in the Perth programme, which features, I believe, an interview with the Lord Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross, Brigadier Melville Jameson CBE,” Dr Hulbert said.
“I think that it should only help to raise Perth’s profile, and promote our competition entry for city status.”
Perth was a city until local government reorganisation in 1975.
Its claim for the reinstatement of city status is based on its history as Scotland’s first capital and its ambition to become a dynamic, international small city.
The claim has won widespread support, notably from all political parties, with First Minister Alex Salmond even raising the issue with Prime Minister David Cameron on a visit to 10 Downing Street.