Felixstowe is among a number of east coast towns bidding to become the UK City of Culture 2025.

Despite not being mentioned by name in the 2,000 word press release, Felixstowe is part of the attempt, despite Suffolk not having a city anywhere in the county.

The bid, made jointly by East Suffolk and Great Yarmouth Borough councils, aims to promote the area and showcase the region's rich and multi-layered culture, its diversity, its people and their creativity, experiences, buildings and landscapes, opening them up to be enjoyed and engaged with by all and creating a cultural legacy for future generations.

The announcement of the bid focussed on a number of coastal areas but does not highlight any of Felixstowe's attractions.

Steve Gallant, leader of East Suffolk and a Felixstowe town councillor, defended the resort's involvement and insisted it did have culture.

He said: "Felixstowe has Landguard which has a fantastic fort and museum, a wonderful nature reserve and there are lots of arts going on within Felixstowe..."

He added: "We used to look at those cities of culture with green eyes and envy and now they have changed the criteria. It is about town and areas and we have so much to offer so why would not we want to showcase that'd be part of it."

The announcement of the bid focussed on everything from Great Yarmouth, Gorelston and Lowestoft down to Bawdsey, including Aldeburgh and Dunwich, but does not highlight any of Felixstowe's attractions.

The newly opened Beach Street village on the seafront has already proved popular, with small business owners using up cycled containers to sell their products.

Spa Pavilion hosts a wide range of entertainers all year round, including Coldplace tomorrow night. and artwork exhibition featuring the Wicker Family live close by in the famed gardens.

A 2,640ft pier juts out into the North Sea, and has been popular with visitors for more than 100 years.

Landguard is home to a centuries old fort, a museum, cafe and foot ferry across to Harwich and Shotley.

UK City of Culture 2025 is the first time a collection of linked or neighbouring towns have been eligible to apply together, and the joint bid has won the support of the New Anglia LEP, Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils, Norfolk Community Foundation, Norfolk and Suffolk Chambers of Commerce, the area's three local MPs and many other major regional public sector stakeholders, arts and community organisations.

The two councils will file an expression of interest by next Monday, July 19. The decision on whether their bid has made it onto the long list will be announced in early September 2021, with the UK City of Culture 2025 winner being announced in May next year.

A successful bid will see the coastal region and its hinterland host a year-long programme of creative events and activities in 2025 to showcase its cultural offers to the world and bring people together with wider benefits felt across Norfolk & Suffolk in relation to the visitor economy. This year's UK City of Culture 2021 host, Coventry, is anticipated to enjoy an economic boost of around £211 million, with an additional 2.5 million visitors to its region.

Both Great Yarmouth and East Suffolk councils are already committed to comprehensive programmes to attract unprecedented levels of investment into their area's infrastructure and cultural sectors. Recently, the Government has awarded a total of more than £63m across the two areas by way of the Towns Deal, Heritage Action Zones and Future High Streets Programme funding in Great Yarmouth, Gorleston & Lowestoft.

East Suffolk is the largest district in the country and benefits from a diverse creative community working in unique locations across 126,000 hectares and 175 towns and parishes.

Cllr Gallant, added: "This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for East Suffolk and Great Yarmouth and will reflect our continuing hard work to ensure the highest quality of life possible for everyone living, working and visiting our part of the East of England.

"We are fortunate to have a rich tapestry of cultural diversity right across East Suffolk and we are delighted to join forces with our friends at Great Yarmouth in this bid. Becoming City of Culture 2025 will bring real change, huge opportunities and significant benefits to our communities and will enable us to showcase all that we have to offer."

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