Tyneside in frame for Euro city title

May 17 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

TOURISM chiefs on Tyneside were celebrating last night after reaching the final three of a prestigious competition to be named the European City of the Year.

Newcastle and Gateshead have been jointly nominated for the 2009 award, from the Academy of Urbanism, and yesterday were confirmed as one of the final three to be shortlisted. The nomination comes a year on from Newcastle’s Grainger Town being given the Great Neighbourhood award by the influential group.

The annual event gives architects, developers and members of local authorities across the country the chance to honour design that contributes towards a sense of civic pride and quality of life. The Newcastle and Gateshead bid will go up against Bristol and Manchester in November, with all three hoping to follow in the footsteps of the 2008 winner, Berlin.

Andrew Dixon, chief executive of the NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “We are delighted that NewcastleGateshead has been shortlisted.

“The nomination gives further recognition to the amazing culture-led regeneration of NewcastleGateshead and its transformation as a world-class destination to live, work learn, visit and do business.

“Combined with last year’s success of Grainger Town winning the academy’s Great Neighbourhood award, this joins a growing list of accolades and can only further build NewcastleGateshead’s reputation, not only in Britain but also worldwide.”

Mick Henry, leader of Gateshead Council, said: “Tyneside welcomes thousands of visitors from Europe each year, and they clearly already see us as a great and dynamic European city. So we should go into this competition with some confidence.

“Everyone I meet from overseas who has visited NewcastleGateshead says what a brilliant place it is, but we’re up against strong opposition and we’ll have to expend all our efforts to convince the judges that we deserve the title of Great European City 2009.”

The academy looks for high quality public spaces, great architecture, effective civic government, vibrant local economies and strong community when making its decision.

The contenders were first nominated by members of the public in an initial nationwide vote, then survived the first cut in April and the second selection this week by the academy’s voting panel.

John Thompson, chairman of the academy, said: “We want to learn what makes these places fantastic to live and work in and to visit and use this information to help us create the great places of the future.”