Paisley First, a business-led group set up to regenerate Paisley’s town centre, has announced its backing for the town’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021.

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Paisley First Business Improvement District (BID) has offered its official support for the Paisley 2021 bid.

The UK City of Culture title is awarded every four years by the UK Government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Previous winners have been Derry (2013) and Hull (2017).

Paisley First represents over 600 businesses based in the town centre’s business improvement district area.

Andrew Mitchell, Business Improvement District Manager for Paisley First, said: “Paisley has a rich cultural heritage that deserves to be opened up to a global audience.

“We believe the Paisley 2021 bid will help do that, in addition to attracting visitors and investment back into the town centre. It is going to bring real economic benefits to the people of Paisley.”

Renfrewshire Council Leader Mark Macmillan said: “Momentum for the Paisley 2021 bid has been building for some time now and it’s great to have the official endorsement of another organisation in Paisley First.

“I’ve said from the start that this is not about the council bidding, but about all the communities of interest across the town and the wider area, including the business community, coming together to say why Paisley deserves to win.

“The success of the Pride of Paisley art project, more commonly-known as ‘the lions’, is a result of the hard work of Paisley First and I know they have more interesting initiatives in the pipeline to continue rejuvenating our town centre and raising its profile.”

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Paisley’s bid for UK City of Culture 2021 aims to transform the town and Renfrewshire’s future by using its unique cultural heritage offering as the home of the Paisley Pattern and one-time centre of the global textile industry.

Bids are expected to be lodged with the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport in Spring 2017.

More information about the Paisley 2021 bid is available online at  www.paisley2021.co.uk.

Information about Paisley First Business Improvement District is available online at  www.paisleyfirst.com.