Ross-on-Wye to nominate itself as UK Town of Culture 2028
19 December 2025
Ross-on-Wye Town Council have announced its intention to apply to the 2028 UK Town of Culture competition. The award invites small and medium sized towns to tell their unique story.
The competition builds on the quadrennial UK City of Culture award, most recently won by Bradford in 2025. The winning town will be awarded £3.5 million to design and deliver a cultural programme during the summer of 2028 and shortlisted towns will be granted £60,000 to support their full bid for the competition.
Ross Town Council currently celebrates its locals through its annual Kyrle Civic Award and Christmas Fayre ‘switch-on star’; however, the UK Town of Culture Award provides a national platform to showcase our story. Ross has an established calendar of many community events, – such as the Christmas Fayre, Ross Beer and Cider Festival, Pancake Races and weekly markets – and a rich history as the ‘birthplace of British tourism’ and its benefactors such as Thomas Blake and John Kyrle.
Cllr Ed O’Driscoll, Chair of the Council’s Community, Markets and Tourism sub-committee, says: “This is a tremendous opportunity for us to come together as a community and imagine how we could celebrate our amazing town if we had access to substantial funding. So often we think small because we’re conscious of budgetary constraints, but this type of opportunity lets us dream of the kind of legacy we could create for Ross if we were lucky enough to be selected. I’m really looking forward to the journey and will do my best to give us a fighting chance.”.Caroline Utting, of the Ross Tourism Association, says: “Ross has a rich cultural heritage that deserves to be more widely known and celebrated.”.
For those that would like to be involved, please contact the Town Council offices on 01989 562373 or email tourism@rosstc-herefordshire.gov.uk.