Paisley’s bid to be the UK City of Culture title has been given an emotional send-off.
Hundreds of choir singers gathered in the town centre today for a mass musical performance.
A large crowd joined more than 150 singers from eight local choirs to mark the bid submission at Paisley Cross for a moving rendition of Wild Mountain Thyme led by local singing star Carol Laula.
Today was the deadline for Paisley to submit its second-stage UK City of Culture 2021 bid to the UK Government.
The Renfrewshire town is the only Scottish place to make the final shortlist - alongside Coventry, Stoke, Sunderland, and Swansea - with the winner to be announced in December.
The bid hopes to transform Paisley’s future using its internationally-significant heritage and cultural story.
The big send-off follows a massive £45.7m town centre investment package approved by Renfrewshire Council on Thursday which will prepare the town to host the 2021 title.
Today’s performance saw the bid ceremonially handed through generations of females, set against the song’s refrain of “will ye go lassie go.”
It was then handed over to Paisley 2021 bid director Jean Cameron and Lyla Slattery and Ayda Anderson - two P1 pupils from Glencoats and St Fergus Primary Schools, in Ferguslie Park, Scotland’s most deprived area - before being driven off on board a scooter emblazoned in Paisley’s globally-recognised Pattern.
Chair of the Paisley 2021 partnership board, Councillor Iain Nicolson, described today as “a truly historic and inspiring moment” for Paisley.
He said: “It was an absolute privilege to be part of it - the culmination of a two-year journey which has already done so much for the town.”
Paisley 2021 bid director Jean Cameron added: “Today was spine-tingling; the sight and sound of those people joining together as one was an emotional, amazing moment, and one that will stay with me forever.”
READ MORE: Paisley Spree set to make Renfrewshire cultural centre of Scotland
It is estimated Paisley’s 2021 year could bring a £176 million economic boost and create the equivalent of 4,700 jobs over a ten-year period while attracting more than 800,000 visitors in 2021.
Current UK City of Culture hosts Hull has seen £1 billion of investment since winning the title in 2013, with the city attracting 1.4 million visitors in just the first three months of its year in the spotlight.
For more information on Paisley’s bid, visit www.paisley2021.co.uk.
All images courtesy of Jamie Simpson, Herald & Times
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