Tuesday March 31st 2026
Penicuik and Dalkeith.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Two Midlothian towns are set to battle each other for a place in the running to be named the UK Town of Culture 2028 after the local authority put forward its own bid.
Midlothian councillors today approved a proposal by officers to put Dalkeith forward for the competition which is being run by the UK Government, despite a separate bid by the community of Penicuik to win the title already being under way.
But while local councillors admitted to having some concerns when they realised council officers were planning the rival bid, council leader Kelly Parry insisted both communities would receive equal support from the local authority.
And she told a meeting of elected members: “Whether it is the heritage of Penicuik or the heart of Dalkeith I am sure we are all very proud to see Midlothian shine on a national stage.”
Penicuik was the first to declare its interest in the title earlier this month after a grass roots campaign by the community to promote its heritage and culture.
However a report presented to council this week named Dalkeith as Midlothian’s ‘candidate town’ saying it is one of the county’s ‘largest and most historically significant towns’.
Councillor Parry moved members approve the paper but told the meeting: “The council should absolutely support the Penicuik and Dalkeith bids equally, I know when this paper was being drafted we weren’t yet aware of the grass roots community bid for Penicuik.
“I think we should be really excited and really proud that we have two bids to celebrate. We should take it foward in the sense we are supporting both bids equally, there is no preference for one town over the other. Midlothian is a region that is diverse and historic, and culturally rich and I am very proud of both the Penicuik and Dalkeith bids.
“Whether it is the heritage of Penicuik or the heart of Dalkeith I am sure we are all very proud to see Midlothian shine on a national stage.”
However Penicuik ward councillor Connor McManus said while he was not discounting the Dalkeith bid he had to praise the community efforts in Penicuik.
He said: “It is a massive piece of work that so many people are volunteering their time to pull together. I wish both towns the best of luck but Penicuik maybe a wee bit more.”
And fellow Penicuik councillor Willie McEwan admitted he was disappointed when he saw the initial report detailing the council support for Dalkeith .
He said: “I would like to thank the council leader for her lengthy email expressing that Midlothian will be supporting, and I would like it stated in this paper, the interests of both Dalkeith and Penicuik.
“Yes Penicuik was a community bid but I am quite intrigued about how we have come to be approving a submission for Dalkeith through a council paper.”
The UK Town of Culture 2028 competition will offer the winning community £3 million towards hosting events to mark the title over six months.
Two additional finalists will receive £250,000 each to put towards part of their proposals.
The deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest was end of today March 31.
Dalkeith ward councillor Margot Russell said she had initially been sceptical about the bid when she first read the council paper but saw the competition’s opportunity to boost the town’s ongoing regeneration programmes.
She said: “This is not just an arts programme it is a regeneration programme and an economic driver for that regeneration.”
Councillors approved the Dalkeith bid alongside adding support to Penicuik.
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