AS Lymm prepares to make a bid to become UK Town of Culture, Warrington Borough Council has confirmed it won’t be making an application of behalf of the town.
At a public meeting at Lymm in January there was strong community backing for exploring a bid to become a UK Town of Culture, with residents turning out to share ideas, energy, and support for a community-led approach- with a top prize of £3m up for grabs.
But Warrington Borough Council, wont be putting forward a bid with a spokesperson saying: “Whilst we won’t be directly applying for the UK Town of Culture Competition, we welcome interest from any partners who are interested in applying.”
Meanwhile at Lymm, work has started on putting together a bid.
Major Capital Legacy: Cultural and Community Infrastructure
If Lymm is awarded the £3 million UK Town of Culture prize, the programme would secure a lasting cultural legacy by delivering new, fit-for-purpose cultural and community infrastructure. Three capital options—each reflecting long-standing local ambition and referenced in the Parish Local Plan—have been identified to maximise impact, accessibility and deliverability within the Town of Culture timeframe.
Option 1: Theatre and Flexible Event Space A new theatre and flexible event space would provide Lymm with its first modern, professional-standard cultural hub. Serving young people and the wider community, the venue would support year-round, inclusive programming across performance, film, music, talks and participatory arts. This option delivers a visible and permanent cultural focal point, strengthens local creative capacity, and aligns with the Town of Culture aim of sustained cultural participation.
Option 2: Combined Health and Events Centre (Village Centre Location) The Parish Local Plan also identifies a combined health and events centre close to the village centre. The NHS is already scoping the project and the land has been secured, providing confidence in shorter and more certain delivery timescales. Integrating cultural activity with community wellbeing, this option enhances accessibility and inclusivity, delivers tangible outcomes quickly, and supports the Town of Culture goal of linking culture to wider community benefit.
Option 3: Lymm Rugby Club Community Space The planned clubhouse at Lymm Rugby Club includes a large first-floor community area for performances, seating approximately 300. Programming could include summer shows, pantomimes and children’s performances. While rising construction costs mean full delivery is not yet fundable, Town of Culture investment would enable this space to become a flexible, multi-use cultural venue, fostering participation across generations and supporting the programme’s aim of inclusive, community-led cultural activity.
If successful in the firsat round of applications there will be a £60,000 Shortlist Grant.
The £60,000 development grant would provide the seed funding needed to kickstart Lymm’s cultural legacy, catalysing community activity and engagement across the village. Regardless of whether further capital funding is secured, this investment will strengthen our cultural landscape, supporting lasting participation, skills development and local ownership of the programme.
The grant would specifically support:
• Further public consultation and codesign – ensuring the community shapes the vision and programming from the start
• Access and infrastructure audits – identifying how venues can be fully inclusive and accessible to all
• Feasibility studies and planning – testing options and identifying practical delivery pathways
• Community engagement programmes – building participation, volunteering and creative skills locally
• Fundraising strategy and commercial planning – preparing for longer-term sustainability and income generation
• Detailed budget and delivery planning – creating a clear, achievable roadmap for whichever capital option is progressed
This initial investment will energise local groups, schools and cultural providers, laying the groundwork for a vibrant, resilient and long-term cultural legacy in Lymm, even if later funding does not follow from ToC.
Warrington-Worldwide is backing the bid via sister publication Lymm Life magazine.
