'The Countryside', Brighton & Hove, Belfast and Aberdeen are all in the running for the UK's first City of Culture

A list of 29 locations - including Aberdeen, Belfast and 'The Countryside' - are in the running for the UK's first ever City of Culture, it is announced. TV writer Phil Redmond will chair the judging panel for the competition. He spearheaded Liverpool's year as European City of Culture in 2008. The winner will be announced next Spring and will host a number of important cultural events in 2013. London and its boroughs were barred from entering the contest. The locations in the running are: Aberdeen, Barnsley, Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Brighton & Hove, Carlisle, Chester, Chichester, Chorley Council, City of Bath, Cornwall, Durham, Derby, Derry City, Gloucester & Cheltenham, Hull, Ipswich & Haven Gateway, Leicester City, Manchester, Norwich, Oxford, Pennine Lancashire, Reading, Sheffield, 'The Countryside', Urban South Hampshire and Wakefield. 'Secret' entry The list was announced by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw, who said that Liverpool's success "proves that cultural life most definitely does not begin and end within the M25". HAVE YOUR SAY Would it not be best to call it a "place" of culture? Les N, Bury, Lancashire Another location has put its name forward, but asked not to be named at this stage. Further nominations can be made before the end of the year. Redmond, who created the long-running TV shows Grange Hill and Brookside, said: "To be offered the job of chairing the judging panel is another great privilege for me personally." He added that it was also "another testimony to everyone who made Liverpool 2008 the most successful Capital of Culture to date".



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