It might seem strange to think of Goole as a city but then Stanley in the Falkland Islands is also one of the 39 seeking that status, Doncaster too.
It is the first time towns in British overseas territories and crown dependencies have been able to apply.
We will know which town has won in June 2022.
In October, it was announced that Southend in Essex would become a city after the death of one of it’s MPs, Sir David Amess He was well known for being a big supporter of the idea of turning it from a town to a city.
There are no set rules and it’s the Queen, on the advice of government ministers, who makes the final decision.
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Cabinet Office Minister Steve Barclay said city status could contribute towards “levelling up” – the government’s stated ambition to equalise opportunities between regions.
However, Paul Swinney, research director at the Centre for Cities think tank, told the BBC that, while city status may well be important for civic pride, it was important not to overstate its impact.
“While Reading is a town in the Queen’s eyes, from an economy perspective it is very much a city already,”
Margaret Hewitson moved from a small village to live in Goole and has no regrets.
“Well, the people who live here have a real sense of pride in the area, the parks and the gardens and the flowerbeds, are kept so beautifully in a way that, you know many towns did many years ago
“And we’ve also got the dock right in the middle of the town, and the river going through. It’s just great watching the boats come in and out to the docks. And every time we have visitors, we take that to the docks to have a look.
“There’s a lot of money being invested in the area and I really would love to see people move to the area because there’s lots of beautiful houses built by the old shipping owners in the past.
“Yes, I think it has a lot to offer as a city.”