TOWN councillors in Watchet are being recommended on Monday (February 9) to bid for the title ‘UK Town of Culture 2028’ and attract £3 million of Government investment.

Town clerk Jo Grellier said it was a ‘once in a generation opportunity’ for Watchet to tell its unique thousand-year history shaped by the sea, the railway, and a long tradition of making and mutual support.

Ms Grelleir said Watchet was ‘a place where heritage is not preserved behind glass, but lived daily through working spaces, civic action, and community creativity’.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has launched a first-ever ‘UK Town of Culture’ competition, offering small towns an opportunity to showcase their unique story and deliver a community-led cultural programme.

Ms Grellier said: “Watchet already does what this competition is asking for.”

She said Watchet had a strong cultural anchor with the East Quay and there were more than 70 community groups in the town.

There was town council-led delivery of services, transport, youth infrastructure, and planning, and a live neighbourhood plan and proactive response to town-wide change.

Ms Grellier said shortlisted towns would receive £60,000 to develop a full bid, while the competition winner would be awarded £3 million and the runner-up £250,000.

She said the competition would give Watchet a major national profile and result in a long-term legacy, amplifying its voice nationally as a model for small-town renewal.

Ms Grellier said ‘town of culture’ was not a vanity project, nor an ‘arts for art’s sake’ initiative, nor an extra burden without any benefit.

Instead, it was an opportunity to scale what Watchet already did well, a tool for pride, economic resilience, and for community wellbeing.

Ms Grellier said councillors and council partners would need to give public endorsement of the bid, advocate for it, and actively take part in shaping the narrative.

Councillors are being recommended to endorse the vision that Watchet ‘is a strong contender to apply for the ‘UK Town of Culture 2028’ and to set up a working group including town councillors, East Quay representatives, community groups, and other key stakeholders to help shape the application and strengthen the bid with broad community input.

Ms Grellier said: “Endorsing this vision and forming a working group will ensure a co-ordinated, inclusive approach, maximise community engagement, and provide confidence to DCMS that Watchet can deliver on its cultural ambitions.

“At the heart of Watchet’s contemporary cultural life is East Quay, a nationally recognised gallery and maker space, built through grant funding and operated by a local community interest company.

“East Quay sits alongside a vibrant network of over 70 community groups, independent creatives, and voluntary organisations, forming a town where culture is embedded in everyday life rather than delivered top-down.

“Watchet is also a town in transition.

“The closure of the B3191 has changed movement, trade, and patterns of use, prompting the town to proactively pursue an urban design strategy and a new community-led neighbourhood plan.

“Culture in Watchet is therefore not just about celebration, but about adaptation, resilience, and shaping the future together.

“’UK Town of Culture’ would enable Watchet to tell a powerful national story, how a small historic harbour town uses creativity, collaboration, and care to respond positively to change.

“As ‘UK Town of Culture’, Watchet would connect these strands into a cohesive, year-round programme where culture supports wellbeing, youth voice, access, pride and participation, ensuring culture is something people do, not something done to them.”