New Forest district enters Town of Culture race

A New Forest district with a rich history plans to bid to become the first UK Town of Culture 2028.

Lymington and Pennington Town Council is hoping to win the title, which would see it receive a £3m fund to put on cultural events.

The port town of Lymington and the neighbouring civil parish of Pennington in Hampshire sit on the Solent and were famed for salt making and ship building until the 19th Century.

Applications for the award are open until the 31 March. The shortlist of towns is expected to be announced this spring before the winners are chosen in early 2027.

Shortlisted towns will receive £60,000 to help deliver their full bids for the competition and two runners-up for the main prize will get £250,000 to deliver elements of their vision.

Much of Lymington town centre has a traditional Victorian and Georgian style with cobbled streets.

Jack Davies, Pennington ward councillor, said: "I feel incredibly fortunate to have been born and brought up in Lymington and Pennington. It is a beautiful part of the world."

He said it gave them a chance to showcase "everything from our maritime history to our thriving local arts scene".

"This is a chance to put Lymington and Pennington on the national stage and deliver lasting benefits for future generations," he added.

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