Hero's welcome for Leyland soldier

[Martin]

A group of Leyland neighbours, upset that troops from a Lancashire regiment will not be marching through Preston, have decided to take matters into their own hands.

Residents in Cherrywood Close will welcome home Kingsman Ben Kirkby, 19, of the 1st Battalion the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, who has just finished a six-month tour of Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

The neighbours clubbed together to buy colourful bunting and two huge banners, one of which stretches right across the street, welcoming him back. Regimental bosses decided Preston would not be one of the five towns and cities on the battalion’s homecoming parade itinerary.

And they are hoping the extravagant surprise welcome will boost the spirits of all 600 1LANCS troops, sending a clear message that Lancashire is right behind them.


Lancashire Evening Post

[muffers]

Can I ask why Preston was not suitable for a parade.

[Martin]

They said
quote:

---

Army chiefs have said they are proud of The Duke of Lancaster’s links with the city, but insist it is impossible to accommodate every town.

---

Spot the obvious mistake in that sentence.

[Gonzo66]

Preston is a city.

[batteryhen]

Only in its own mind.

[shuffy]

hardly batteryhen, it was 'officially' made a city by the powers that be whoever they are, so not just in its own mind.

[dottymapley]

Welcome back, Dedrah, and yes, Preston was created a city eight years ago by Her Majesty the Queen, oh, and the powers that be, of course, so as you say, it's not all in the mind!

[anacortesdamp]

After being accustomed to the requirement that a community has to have a cathedral to be officially recognised as a city, I still get a chuckle in the US to see signs "Welcome to the City of xxx. Population 825".

Over here, a city is a community with a specific form of government and the term is not dependent on population or any other parameters.

I guess the UK definition was changed when some bigger towns were declared to be cities. Was Preston in the second set created?


Frank

[noel]

Preston was granted city status as part of the queen's jubilee celebrations, Frank.
26 other towns applied but only Preston, I understand was granted it in England.
There is no requirement for a city to have a cathedral in this instance.

[filmoss]

There are 66 cities in the UK 18 of which do NOT have an Anglican Cathedral. On the other hand however, there are 16 towns that DO have an Anglican Cathedral. So no you dont have to have a Cathedral to get City status. Like Noel said the monarch (in this case the Queen) can grant city status on special royal occasions. This is usually on the advice of the Lord Chancellor. Frank was sort of right but that rule was changed in the 1880s !