Blessed delight as town populated by ‘salt of the earth’ bids for city status

A team from organisations including Doncaster Council, Robin Hood Airport, the NHS and the private sector is now putting the final touches to the town’s application before it is presented to Buckingham Palace later this month.

Those backing the bid include actor Brian Blessed, from Mexborough, and heroic soldier Ben Parkinson who suffered brain and back injuries in a landmine explosion in Afghanistan in 2006.

Mr Blessed, 74, said: “Hearing Doncaster’s plans to bid for city status makes me very happy. Doncaster is a place of great character and lovely people.

“They are salt of the earth – you cannot find better people in the whole world.”

Mr Parkinson, 27, said he believes Doncaster deserves to be recognised due to its public support for the armed forces.

He said: “It would be a huge boost for everybody and the people of Doncaster deserve to be rewarded for all the fundraising events for military causes which they’ve organised and supported.”

Previous places to have won city status from the Queen include Sunderland, Brighton and Hove, Wolverhampton and Preston.

So far, 20 towns have confirmed they will be going up against Doncaster next year, including Blackpool, Bolton, Gateshead, Luton, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Reading, Southend, Stockport and Wrexham.

It is also understood that Goole, along with Dover, Guildford and Newport, are considering bids.

Mayor of Doncaster Peter Davies said the bid would not be a drain on public finances.

He said: “Other areas are spending around £40,000 or £50,000 on their bids. But in our case the town speaks for itself.

“It seems to me that, since the opportunity has arisen – and providing it doesn’t cost a lot of money – we should have the ambition and aspiration to bid for city status.”

Doncaster bid for city status in 2000 and 2002 but was unsuccessful.

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