Grimsby Fish Dock Group backs GY28
Updated: 4 days ago
We’re backing the bid for Grimsby to become the first ever UK Town of Culture!
GY28 is the campaign to bring the title home, having already made history by making the shortlist.
Now, as residents, community groups, businesses and other organisations are urged to support the concentrated push as the final submission is developed, Grimsby Fish Dock Group is pledging to play its part.
A £3 million kitty to deliver a six-month programme of events is up for grabs, with runners-up pots of £250,000 for two locations.
Underlining the backing on Lincolnshire Day, Andrew Oliver, chief executive of Grimsby Fish Dock Group, said: “As the operators of Grimsby Fish Market and having been the springboard to drive forward the town’s early offshore wind ambition from Port of Grimsby East, we’ve contributed significantly to the grit and graft that makes the town great.
“Grimsby deserves the opportunity to showcase its very best. We’ve seen pockets of pride emerging, but there is so much more to say and do.
“GY28 has our backing, and as we did with global envy with the hauls from the trawlers that the bid’s identity is drawn from, let’s land this!”
Grimsby is one of four places shortlisted in the large towns category, alongside Basildon, Birkenhead, and Rotherham. The final bid must be submitted by November 30, with the winner announced in March 2027.
Over the next six weeks, the GY28 campaign will celebrate the pride, passion and community spirit that already exists. Organisers want to hear from people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life, as they aim for the bid to reflect the real Grimsby and the people who make it what it is.
GFDG has welcomed the campaign themes too, as it tells its story through past, present and future lenses, with The Catch and Edge clear links to the fishing and maritime positioning. Future-focused Step Forward also resonates, with the group having Offshore Training Centre Grimsby, a dedicated skills facility with turbine tower on the quayside.
Melanie Onn, MP for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes and Chair of the Greater Grimsby Board sub-group overseeing the bid, said: “Few places are more synonymous with Grimsby than the first port on the Humber and our famous fish market, so I’m delighted to have Grimsby Fish Dock Group behind us.
“Grimsby has always been defined by the talent, resilience and ambition of its people. Reaching the shortlist from hundreds of entries across the UK is already something we can all be proud of. Too often, others have tried to tell our story for us, but this is our chance to show the country who we really are.
“What makes Grimsby? What brings us together? What do we want the rest of the country to see in our town? How do we want future generations to feel about the place they call home? This is our opportunity to find and celebrate the talent, pride and potential that exists here, and to tell our story.
“Everyone has a part to play. I hope people will get involved, share their ideas and help us create a bid that is shaped by local people and authentically Grimsby.”
How you can get involved
Your words:
Whether you share a story, send a message of support, attend an event or simply spread the word, every bit of support helps. You can have your say by taking part in our online survey here: https://forms.gle/fQRMXCozAbQJJniY9
Your eyes:
Visit the GY28 website www.GY28.co.uk to find out more, and become a GY28 ambassador and discover how you can get involved.
Yourself:
If you want to be involved, email hello@gy28.co.uk with your details.
Your socials:
Instagram: @grimsby2028 https://www.instagram.com/grimsby2028/
Facebook: Grimsby2028 https://www.facebook.com/Grimsby28/
David Ross is the chair of the Greater Grimsby Board. His grandfather was the “main architect” behind the town’s proud Ross fishing fleet, one he has said left “an indelible stamp on my own heritage”.
Of the bid, he said: “Grimsby is where I come from, and my family’s story is bound up with the town’s. So, I’m proud to be championing our Town of Culture bid. There is no doubt that culture changes lives. It gives young people confidence, it brings communities together and it creates opportunity. Anyone who has spent time in Grimsby lately can see the town is on the move. GY28 is our chance to show the rest of the country what Grimsby can do, and we have to grasp it with both hands.”
Cllr Oliver Freeston, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “This is our chance to tell Grimsby’s story on a national stage. The judges need to see that this bid belongs to the people of Grimsby. Every photo, every video message, every conversation and every show of support matters.
“We have made it this far together. Now let’s make history together.”
