Merseyside town that's 'turning a corner' in fight for £3m award

Birkenhead is in the running for the national prize19:24, 19 Jul 2026With Birkenhead having been shortlisted for a new £3m national award, we went to see what it would mean for the Wirral town to be named the UK's first ever Town of Culture.‌Birkenhead beat off hundreds of towns from across the country to be included in a 15-town shortlist for the inaugural award. The winner, which is expected to be announced early next year, will receive a £3m grant from central government to deliver a cultural programme in 2028.‌Two local councillors, Ewan Tomeny and Pat Cleary, told the ECHO why they believe the town would be a worthy winner and what the title of 'UK Town of Culture' would mean for Birkenhead.‌Cllr Cleary said that while the £3m would be great, "it's the national profile boost that woul