Dunfermline has won city status as part of the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations.
The ancient Scottish capital was made a city, along with six other places in the UK and one overseas territory.
Dunfermline and St Andrews were both put forward in the competition, keen to see their heritage recognised and their historical status restored, with both bids supported by Fife Council.
For the first time, the competition was open to applicants from Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, with the Falklands’ Stanley and Douglas of the Isle of Man also among the winners.
The competition for city status has taken place in each of the last three jubilee years, with previous winners including Chelmsford, Lisburn and Newport.
Winning city status can provide a boost to local communities and open up new opportunities for people who live there, as is the case with previous winner Perth, where residents have described how their success contributed to increased national standing, putting them on the international map as a place to do business.
Research shows that Perth, which was granted city status in 2012 as part of the Queen’s diamond jubilee, reaped the benefits, with the local economy expanding by 12% in the decade it was granted city status.
Provost of Fife Jim Leishman said: “The official title of city will give Dunfermline the wider recognition that it deserves as one of the fastest-growing, urban areas in Scotland, offering all the amenities that any modern city could hope for.
“City status will help us grow economically and as a tourist destination and will have a positive impact on Dunfermline and the surroundings.”
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