Following an article published in the Chronicle which placed Abergavenny as a potential contender to be the UK’s first town of culture, councillors have revealed they could submit an expression of interest (EOI).

In a letter to local businesses this week, Abergavenny Town Council confirmed it was actively looking for supporters of a potential bid to enter the UK’s Town of Culture 2028 competition following what it deemed an “appetite” for the idea gaining traction on social media.

The Town Council would first have to submit an EOI to be shortlisted as a contender for the title before being confirmed as a nominee. For this, the town would receive £60,000 straight away to help put a bid together ahead of judging.

If Abergavenny was to be named UK Town of Culture, it stands to receive a prize of £3m to be injected into the local economy.

The town was also featured on a list of ten potential winners of the new accolade by The Guardian over the weekend, which isn’t the first national outlet to recognise the town after it was named the best town to live in the UK by The Times in 2024.

While Abergavenny Town Council has now confirmed its interest in leading a potential bid, it is still in the process of finding a venue for a face-to-face meeting where everyone can submit their own thoughts on the idea. There will also be a virtual session for the community to engage with.

The deadline to submit an EOI is March 31st, leaving a little over two months to submit one. But there is lots of work to be done make an application.

Part of the form to be submitted includes a section dedicated to the town’s story, such as places and landscapes, people and heritage. But the Council would also need to convey how being shortlisted would bring a boost to the area, and how that aligns with the needs of local people.