'Like an OBE for the whole town': Reflecting on 25 years since Wolverhampton became a city
First announcing its plans to bid for city status in 1998,.Wolverhampton Council explained what the honour would mean for the people of the town.
"It would be like an OBE for the whole town,” said a statement issued by the council press office.
Sign up to our free daily Wolverhampton newsletter for the latest news, views and features
Today marks the 25th anniversary of Wolverhampton finally receiving the recognition its leaders had craved for so long, and the people of the town finally getting their metaphorical gongs.
Wolverhampton had been the rank outsider with the bookies, with the general consensus that the accolade would go to Chelmsford or Brighton
But in something of a surprise, the Queen announced not one, but three new cities: Inverness, Brighton and Wolverhampton.
Resident Jan Kellond got a head start on the rest of the population when she telephoned Wolverhampton Council on the day of the announcement made.
“I had recently been to Brighton where my daughter attended an open day at the university, and thought ‘how can we compete with this place for city status?’,” she recalled.
“On the day the announcement was due, I rang the local authority number and asked if they had heard anything. The lady on the switchboard asked if I was from the Press. I assured her I wasn’t and she said: ‘We’ve got it!’”
The Express & Star had championed the town’s bid for city status right from the beginning, and on hearing the news, then-editor Warren Wilson expressed his delight.
“We have known for a long time that this is a great place with a wonderful past and a vibrant future. This announcement confirms this to the rest of the nation," he said.
The borough council had first been considered for city status to mark the Queen’s coronation in 1953, and again in the 1960s. It was on the shortlist again during the Silver Jubilee in 1977, Wolverhampton’s 1,000th anniversary in 1985, and then during the Golden Jubilee in 1992.
Present leader of Wolverhampton Council, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: "City status has been a source of pride for Wolverhampton for 25 years. It’s a recognition of our rich heritage, our resilience, and the strength and diversity of our communities.
"Over the years, we’ve grown as a city, attracting investment, creating opportunities, and building a vibrant future.
"We’ve transformed our city, delivering a £150 million transport interchange, a new City Learning Quarter, thousands of homes, and major regeneration projects like Canalside and Smithfield.
"Wolverhampton today is greener, more inclusive, and more ambitious than ever. This anniversary is about celebrating that journey and looking forward with confidence to the next 25 years.
“We are a city of resilience, of innovation, and above all, of community. Together, we will continue to build a Wolverhampton worthy of the Millennium title bestowed upon us 25 years ago."
His opposite number, leader of the opposition Conservative group Councillor Simon Bennett, was just 11 years old when the announcement was made, so for most of his life Wolverhampton has been a city.
"Like many local kids, I didn’t understand policy papers or economic strategies," he said.
"What I remember is the sense that something important was happening, that Wolverhampton was being told it mattered."
But Councillor Bennett questioned whether Wolverhampton has seen the benefits that other cities have enjoyed over the past 25 years.
He said: "I am proud of Wolverhampton. Proud of our people, our history, and proud that we are a city.
"The real question is not whether Wolverhampton would have been better off remaining a town. The real question is whether we have truly acted like a city over the past 25 years."
