The Lincolnshire market town of Boston has applied for city status as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Backed by local groups and businesses, identifying the town’s recent growth in the food industry, plus the investment from the Boston Town Deal fund, it emphasises history and heritage and its connections with twinned partner locations across the globe.

Boston’s application supports an ambition to be a leading visitor destination and help to highlight its wealth of heritage assets and worldwide connections. It will not just catalogue its history and features, it will capture the spirit of its people, both past and current, to present a new future fit for its bestowal and honour of city distinction.

This historic port town was once the largest in England and has a proud maritime history.   

Boston Borough Council’s city status bid has also identified the town's recent growth in the food industry and that it will help to improve the economy and economic growth of the area.

Aside from the headline food industry driving growth in this area, the Boston Visitor Economy attracts visitors from the nearby large coastal resorts to the open-air markets and welcomes over 50,000 visitors into St Botolph’s Church each year. Boston’s Guildhall has an international profile due to the American associations with the Pilgrims, its medieval history and Australian connections and the Maud Foster Windmill is one of the largest working windmills in England.

Fydell House was built in the early 1700s, and other sites of interest include, Blackfriars Arts Centre, Boston Belle, Walking Tours, We’ll Meet Again WW2 Museum and the unique Bubble car museum. A fascinating network of medieval lanes and marketplace give Boston a local distinctiveness with a high number of independent retailers. There is also a good mix of local and international food and drink on offer, as well as local favourites Boston sausages which also feature on London’s Borough Market.

Often referred to as the Capital of the Fens Boston boasts a range of water based attractions including the Boston Marina, RSPB Frampton Marsh and Frieston Shore and leisure opportunities for fishing boating, walking and cycling. The popular Water Railway links Boston to Lincoln with a walking and cycling route that has a series of artworks along the way.

Boston’s visitor economy was impacted by the pandemic but is now actively focusing on strengthening its offer through the Town Deal investment and working in partnership to take advantage of opportunities of green and active tourism thanks to its natural environments, wildlife and waterways.

Boston is working with Destination Lincolnshire, Visit England and cultural organisations across a number of projects including developing an ambitious programme of celebration to mark 2030 marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of its sister city Boston Massachusetts in America.

Despite strong competition from other towns across the country, Boston’s supporters are shouting that it is a great place to live and work and have high hopes for it attaining city status. 

The Queen is due to confer city status on one or more towns in 2022 very soon to mark her 70-year reign. Go Boston!