Middlesbrough - Latest attempt to become a city

[Mr_Tibbs]

I was just reading about this - seems Middlesbrough wants to achieve city status in 2012.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/tees/low/pe ... 783769.stm

One of the questions put to Mayor Mallon was whether the people would consider a change of name to (jokingly) the City of Ironopolis. He said he'd get lynched but that raises an interesting question - whether the Boro in itself is big enough to become a city. The main conurbation of the Boro & Stockton I would say would make for a far stronger candidate for city status - say, the city of Teesside, but that would bring it's own problems (who would lead) and would the people of Middlesbrough still be so interested in achieving city status if Middlesbrough wasn't "it". Suppose they decided to create a joint administrative structure and housed this within what is now Stockton's boundaries. Could the people of Middlesbrough stomach that? Or must it be the City of Middlesbrough or nowt?

It's just that they've been harping on about this for years and years - even campaigning to have the main East Coast Line diverted east, through Teesside, when the electrification upgrade was carried out - which would have been at Darlo's expense.

Fortunately the then Secretary of State, Willie Whitelaw, is on record as having said that he saw Middlesbrough as more of an "outpost" populated by people who were too "full of their own self-importance" to ever be taken seriously.

I thought this was a little unfair, to be honest. What do other people think?

[Darlo_Pete]

I think they should go back to their original name, 'Port Darlington'.

[DL5]

Hey they might rebrand it who knows?, they're already renaming Port Clarence "Saltholme Village" and giving it a Billingham postcode to try and fool people, maybe they'll name the boro "Pleasantville city" or something

[Mr_Tibbs]

Hey they might rebrand it who knows?, they're already renaming Port Clarence "Saltholme Village" and giving it a Billingham postcode to try and fool people, maybe they'll name the boro "Pleasantville city" or something

Really? heh heh! Worked there for a lot of years. What about High Clarence, and Haverton Hill?

[DL5]

Hey they might rebrand it who knows?, they're already renaming Port Clarence "Saltholme Village" and giving it a Billingham postcode to try and fool people, maybe they'll name the boro "Pleasantville city" or something

Really? heh heh! Worked there for a lot of years. What about High Clarence, and Haverton Hill?

There's only High Clarence left now as far as housing goes though it still gets called Port. Port, Haverton, Belasis all gone, don't be sad 3 out of 4 ain't bad

[grytters]

I was just reading about this - seems Middlesbrough wants to achieve city status in 2012.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/tees/low/pe ... 783769.stm

One of the questions put to Mayor Mallon was whether the people would consider a change of name to (jokingly) the City of Ironopolis. He said he'd get lynched but that raises an interesting question - whether the Boro in itself is big enough to become a city. The main conurbation of the Boro & Stockton I would say would make for a far stronger candidate for city status - say, the city of Teesside, but that would bring it's own problems (who would lead) and would the people of Middlesbrough still be so interested in achieving city status if Middlesbrough wasn't "it". Suppose they decided to create a joint administrative structure and housed this within what is now Stockton's boundaries. Could the people of Middlesbrough stomach that? Or must it be the City of Middlesbrough or nowt?

It's just that they've been harping on about this for years and years - even campaigning to have the main East Coast Line diverted east, through Teesside, when the electrification upgrade was carried out - which would have been at Darlo's expense.

Fortunately the then Secretary of State, Willie Whitelaw, is on record as having said that he saw Middlesbrough as more of an "outpost" populated by people who were too "full of their own self-importance" to ever be taken seriously.

I thought this was a little unfair, to be honest. What do other people think?

Makes you wonder why no-one else thought of it...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Borough_of_Teesside

[ShrewsX]

Truth is, that the money that would be spent on creating, "The City of Middlesbrough" would be better spent on tidying the place up and investing in its future. Its never been a glamourous place, and investment has been there, but its taken a massive hit in the fact that Corus has gone.

Spend the money for this project on getting people jobs, then tidy the place up... then maybe. But till then, its another crazy idea only a council could even consider.


Shrews

[fat tony]

Sounds like what they did when Sunderland became a city. It only had a population of around 150k but the 'City Of' extends out to places like Washington and Houghton le Spring.

[Mr_Tibbs]

Makes you wonder why no-one else thought of it...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Borough_of_Teesside

Yes, I remember when it was Teesside. I think there'd be a lot more support for the City of Teesside - but maybe not so much enthusiasm from the Boro.

Sounds better too, like Teesside University. I was just reading about their new Darlington "campus" (do we have to use that word?) - looks smart.

Maybe they should expand on this city idea a bit and call it the "City of Teesside & Darlington" - seeing as we've got a proper train station and an airport and all? We could get the name of the airport changed back to what everyone still knows it as. And they get all their water from us. We could build a dam.

lol!

[Quakers1883]

Do we really want to be linked to that area It has a very poor reputation nationally

[DIRTYDAVE]

the city of teesside sounds better. btw the airport is owned by the 5 councils in the area of the tees valley so boro has a share in the airport but rebranding it teesside airport again would be better. has for city of teesside and darlington would not work it would just suck. if anything darlington should try to be a city on its own.

[diggerman]

In my opinion , neither Middlesbrough or Stockton is large enough in their own rights to be cities .
The fact that the two towns are so close to each other also means that to me , the only way of achieving city status is by joining forces.
Only thing is - the two towns (and their people) always seem to be at loggerheads with each other and vying to be Teessides "major town".
In that respect i can't see it happening