Published at 08:09, Friday, 16 October 2009

Carlisle could be landed with a £10 million bill if the city succeeds in becoming the first UK City of Culture in 2013.

Official documents seen by The Cumberland News show that the winning city will have to find the cash to stage events and publicise its new status.

There is no government money on offer and no suggestion as to where the £10m might come from.

When Liverpool was European Capital of Culture in 2008, its city council had to meet three-quarters of the cost.

Mike Mitchelson, the Conservative leader of Carlisle City Council, played down fears that Carlisle might have to do the same.

He said: “There is no speculation as to what local authorities might pay. Our bid will cover the range of events that Carlisle would be able to put on and what the funding streams might be. The bid will have to fit the finances available.”

Bryan Gray, chairman of Carlisle Renaissance, was on the working party that produced the City of Culture report. He argues that this is not the time to dwell on who will pay if Carlisle’s bid succeeds.

He said: “To get hung up about the cost is the wrong way of looking at it. We will have to cut our cloth according to what we’ve got. If we get City of Culture, there is no money that comes with it but there are opportunities. It’s a really good return on investment.”

Carlisle faces competition from potentially 27 locations to become UK City of Culture. Contenders include Chester, Brighton, County Durham, Oxford and Manchester. However, Bath, one of the early runners, has already pulled out because of concerns about the cost.

Cumbria County Council has distanced itself from the Carlisle bid, put forward by Carlisle Renaissance, describing it as a “distraction”. Renaissance is working with the city council, University of Cumbria and other groups to put a bid together by the deadline of December 11.

Michael Boaden, leader of the council’s Labour opposition, questions whether the authority should be involved.

He said: “We shouldn’t be embarking on a speculative bid without a clear idea of the costs to the council. We will be writing a blank cheque.”

The estimate is in a working group report prepared in June for the Department of Culture Media and Sport. It says £10m would be enough to “stage a small number of events” and run “promotional campaigns to attract visitors”.

The city of culture title will be conferred every four years. The winner will host high-profile events, which might include the 2013 Turner Prize, The Brit Awards and BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The report adds: “It would not be helpful, and could be misleading, to estimate what percentage [of the £10m] would come from the host city itself.”

Mr Gray added: “Improving the city’s cultural offer makes it a better place to live and makes it more attractive to visitors. There is a strong economic argument.”

A short list for City of Culture will be published in January and the winner announced at Easter.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk