• Could Burnley become a city?

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:13 pm**

The city of Ripon has a population of approximately 17,000 and yet Burnley has more than 78,000.

At David’s in Pembrokeshire only has the smallest city population of 1,600.

Do you think city status would help attract investment? Would city status change people’s perceptions of Burnley?

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:15 pm**

Steady on. We got a Primark about a decade after everywhere else. Only just got a Nando's. Baby steps.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:17 pm**

Ripon and St David's both have a cathedral

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:20 pm**

Fazz wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 9:17 pm
Ripon and St David's both have a cathedral

Turf Moor?

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:33 pm**

Burnley will be way down the list. Below Harrogate, kendal, and there is only one obvious way to jump the queue. Leave England and form part of Wales or Northern Ireland.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:34 pm**

Fazz wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 9:17 pm
Ripon and St David's both have a cathedral

11 Cities in England do not have a Cathedral.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:36 pm**

Fazz wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 9:17 pm
Ripon and St David's both have a cathedral

Blackburn has a cathedral

its not a city.

So why can't Burnley become a City without a cathedral

perhaps we should have a word with Charlie down in Buck House, as he is a number one Claret perhaps he could bestow Cityship (or whatever its called) on Burnley

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:38 pm**

Harrogate being a spa town should push for Royal status.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:40 pm**

If we were to become a City, beer prices would likely rise by 25%. so it's a no from me.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:41 pm**

Why would a small, poor town want to become a city? There would be less financial investment for attracting new business or industry.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:46 pm**

The big downside to being a city is that you get an inner city.
And you really don't want one of them.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 9:53 pm**

gawthorpe_view wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 9:46 pm
The big downside to being a city is that you get an inner city.
And you really don't want one of them.

Ripon, Stirling, St Davids, Inverness?

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 10:02 pm**

We were a boomtown at the height of the Industrial Revolution, and we didn't become a city - we sure aren't going to become one now.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 10:03 pm**

LoveCurryPies wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 9:13 pm
The city of Ripon has a population of approximately 17,000 and yet Burnley has more than 78,000.

At David’s in Pembrokeshire only has the smallest city population of 1,600.

Do you think city status would help attract investment? Would city status change people’s perceptions of Burnley?

Ripon & St David’s are both cathedral cities. They were awarded city status only because of their cathedrals. I don’t think that would happen now.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 10:07 pm**

Clovius Boofus wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 10:02 pm
We were a boomtown at the height of the Industrial Revolution, and we didn't become a city - we sure aren't going to become one now.

Never want it to be a City but just to wanna say - I think Burnley is having a bit of a boom now and think it’s only getting better

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 10:10 pm**

Nowt wrong wi bein a good onnest ard workin Town !

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 10:10 pm**

It’s probably big enough to be a city in a fair few European countries but has no chance of becoming a UK city in our lifetime.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 10:16 pm**

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 10:03 pm
Ripon & St David’s are both cathedral cities. They were awarded city status only because of their cathedrals. I don’t think that would happen now.

That, combined with their being nice places. St asaph made it too. A bit of cutesy heritage helps.

On the other hand, much bigger places keep failing - reading, blackburn, Swindon, Guildford. There's an obvious link between them.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 10:37 pm**

gawthorpe_view wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 9:46 pm
The big downside to being a city is that you get an inner city.
And you really don't want one of them.

Our town centre is just as bad. Dreadful people

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 11:03 pm**

timshorts wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 10:16 pm
That, combined with their being nice places. St asaph made it too. A bit of cutesy heritage helps.

On the other hand, much bigger places keep failing - reading, blackburn, Swindon, Guildford. There's an obvious link between them.

None of them have teams in premier League ?

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 11:27 pm**

gawthorpe_view wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 9:46 pm
The big downside to being a city is that you get an inner city.
And you really don't want one of them.

Inner City Life
Inner city pressure

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 11:27 pm**

Has it made any difference to Preston?

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 11:29 pm**

No Cathedral? Don’t Liverpool have a spare one?
Im sure they’ve mentioned it once or twice.

Posted: **Thu May 08, 2025 11:52 pm**

Anyone remember when Preston became a city and radio Blackburn announced on April fools Day that the club was going to drop 'North End' from the club name and replace it with 'City'
The natives were restless that day.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 12:20 am**

I seem to remember Bolton being on the brink of city stature being the largest town in England..... When they get it we'll be 10 years behind. Or we could just build a Cathedral on the Keirby hotel site.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 6:23 am**

You don’t need a cathedral to be a city.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 7:24 am**

Sutton-Claret wrote: ↑
Fri May 09, 2025 12:20 am
I seem to remember Bolton being on the brink of city stature being the largest town in England..... When they get it we'll be 10 years behind. Or we could just build a Cathedral on the Keirby hotel site.

I think it's Huddersfield. Biggest town in Europe

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 8:20 am**

We've got Stonyholme the kids at school used to refer to it as the Bronx does that not count as inner city?

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 10:41 am**

I'm fairly sure I remember that many years ago (early 70's?) the programme used to have a line in it each week "Burnley - The only town team in Division 1". Can anyone recall this or is my age playing tricks on me? Think there was some debate at the time around Derby's status - all the same I recall that we were possibly unique and competing equally with the "big boys". Will always be a proper "town" for me. UTC

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 11:37 am**

The problem is whether you're talking solely Burnley. The census results often put Padiham with Burnley in the same way as Blackburn goes with Darwen. If you then add Nelson, Brierfield, Colne, Barrowford with Padiham the "Burnley built-up" area amounts to 149,000.

If you ask someone from Colne where they come from - I was born there - they will say Colne and not Burnley unless talking to someone outside the area.

There are so many definitions of town/city populations. It's somewhat confusing.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 12:11 pm**

Most countries don't have a real distinction between a town and a city, and it's pretty arbitrary in the UK how it is decided.

Not sure it makes any difference to outside investment in the same way as being near a motorway or airport would

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 12:56 pm**

Juan Tanamera wrote: ↑
Thu May 08, 2025 11:52 pm
Anyone remember when Preston became a city and radio Blackburn announced on April fools Day that the club was going to drop 'North End' from the club name and replace it with 'City'
The natives were restless that day.

Brilliant

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 2:31 pm**

Padiham has a beach , so should be classed as the riviera of the North

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 2:44 pm**

Casper2 wrote: ↑
Fri May 09, 2025 2:31 pm
Padiham has a beach , so should be classed as the riviera of the North

Lost all chances of city status when the Britannia pub shut down I reckon.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 4:24 pm**

We’ve got a flannels

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 4:50 pm**

The Keirby should be enough to grant us city status. Anyone from outside the area would agree as soon as they clapped eyes on the stunning piece of architecture that has cheered the very hearts of Burnley folk for over 60 years.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 5:22 pm**

Mayoclaret wrote: ↑
Fri May 09, 2025 10:41 am
I'm fairly sure I remember that many years ago (early 70's?) the programme used to have a line in it each week "Burnley - The only town team in Division 1". Can anyone recall this or is my age playing tricks on me? Think there was some debate at the time around Derby's status - all the same I recall that we were possibly unique and competing equally with the "big boys". Will always be a proper "town" for me. UTC

Yes you are quite right I worked at the company who printed the programme , and may have got the odd free one with Only town team in the Division 1 on the front cover from 1976/77 season

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 5:27 pm**

I am aware that it used to be that you needed to have a Cathedral but that was when Henry was a boy or there abouts But these days it may because a town has a very large population, that's the number of people living there, or because it has an interesting history or culture

Weavers triangle any one King Charles spent time there

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 5:41 pm**

Can Burnley become a city?

Yes. We just need to get on the list, apparently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whqs8v1svyo

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 6:07 pm**

pureclaret wrote: ↑
Fri May 09, 2025 5:22 pm
Yes you are quite right I worked at the company who printed the programme , and may have got the odd free one with Only town team in the Division 1 on the front cover from 1976/77 season

Burnley were relegated from the First Division at the end of the 1975-76 season. Ipswich Town were also in Division one that season and in 1976-77 and the only town club in the league that year.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 6:19 pm**

Can you just build a cathedral?

Do you need religious dispensation, or just planning permission?

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 6:44 pm**

Maybe our cathedral could be where the Keirby currently is?

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 6:46 pm**

Rowls wrote: ↑
Fri May 09, 2025 6:44 pm
Maybe our cathedral could be where the Keirby currently is?

Perhaps just add a few spiky bits to The Keirby?

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 7:46 pm**

dougcollins wrote: ↑
Fri May 09, 2025 6:19 pm
Can you just build a cathedral?

Do you need religious dispensation, or just planning permission?

I suspect you need to write to The Vatican or the COE.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 8:17 pm**

Got to be the front runner for city of mixed culture.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 8:43 pm**

Burnley does well to survive as a town. If it weren't for the football club the place might as well be burnt to the ground as it has nothing else to offer

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 9:24 pm**

Devils_Advocate wrote: ↑
Fri May 09, 2025 8:43 pm
Burnley does well to survive as a town. If it weren't for the football club the place might as well be burnt to the ground as it has nothing else to offer

Downgrading to a village may actually be more beneficial.
Grass over Charter Walk as the green.
Rebrand the Brun as a babbling brook.
How many villages have a Premier League team? What a selling point.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 9:30 pm**

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑
Fri May 09, 2025 9:24 pm
Downgrading to a village may actually be more beneficial.
Grass over Charter Walk as the green.
Rebrand the Brun as a babbling brook.
How many villages have a Premier League team? What a selling point.

That would be a disaster - Villages never have enough parking space.

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 9:37 pm**

Could rename the town from Burnley to New Barley Village

Posted: **Fri May 09, 2025 10:07 pm**

Rowls wrote: ↑
Fri May 09, 2025 9:30 pm
That would be a disaster - Villages never have enough parking space.

The only village with a Premier League team and a multistorey. It's getting better.

Could Burnley become a city?

Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?

Re: Could Burnley become a city?