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Birkenhead is the only town flying the flag for the North West of England

Time Out has backed a Merseyside town to take home a £3 million national award after it was named among the finalists for the UK’s first-ever Town of Culture title.

The ECHO previously reported how Birkenhead had secured a place on the 15-town shortlist for the new accolade, which aims to bring the success of the UK City of Culture programme to smaller communities.

More than 400 towns across the UK entered the competition, with the winning town set to receive a £3 million grant to deliver a year-long cultural programme in 2028.

Towns have been divided into three categories based on population size:

• Small towns: Fewer than 20,000 people
• Medium towns: Between 20,000 and 75,000 people
• Large towns: More than 75,000 people

The towns which made the shortlist each receive 60,000 to help develop their final bids. These will then be assessed by an independent judging panel.

One finalist will be chosen from each category, before the overall winner is announced early next year. The winning town will receive the £3 million prize, while the two runners-up will each be awarded £250,000.

The shortlist:

• Small towns: Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane, and Stockton Town Centre Ward
• Medium towns: Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith, Pontypridd, and Port Talbot
• Large towns: Basildon, Birkenhead, Grimsby, and Rotherham

Now, Time Out has given its verdict on who should win, and it's backing Birkenhead in the large town category.

The group, which prides itself on being a guide to the best food & drink, events, activities and attractions in London, said: “Out of 41 entries from the region, Birkenhead is the only town flying the flag for the northwest of England. Its bid said that as the Town of Culture, it would use natural stages like Birkenhead Park and the waterfront to showcase local talent, culture and community.

“The application takes pride in the area’s offbeat character, with landmarks like the Grade-II listed outsider art palace Ron’s Place and its reputation as a ‘one-eyed’ city – a nickname rumoured to be tied to everything from horrific sailors’ injuries to the single ‘i’ in its name and the lone headlights on Birkenhead’s old cross-river tram.”

One of the towns which missed out on the shortlist is Bootle. The town's unsuccessful bid was backed by Liverpool FC legend Jamie Carragher, who described it as being the "best place in the world."

Another unsuccessful bid came from New Brighton. Earlier this year, the leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paula Basnett celebrated Wirral's pair of bids, saying: "Both Birkenhead and New Brighton bring their own distinct creativity and heritage, and these community-led bids are an opportunity to shine a national spotlight on that brilliance.”