Council Event Planning & Programming
Renfrewshire Council · 18 February 2026
Back to Leadership Board — 18 February 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 18 February 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Council Event Planning & Programming ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This paper provides an update to members in relation to the council’s current event planning and delivery, as well as detailing progress made in year one of the Events Strategy 2025-28. 1.2 The paper also provides background information and recommendations to previous council motions on a fanzone for the 2026 World Cup and a feasibility study on a Cycling criterium event for Johnstone, as well as an update on the UK Government’s Town of Culture 2028 competition. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended members note the contents of the report and progress made against key strategic objectives in year one of delivering the events strategy. 2.2 World Cup Fanzone It is recommended members note the plans for fanzones being currently considered by commercial operators and agrees to continue to explore the potential benefits of a strategic partnership with Braehead Arena with a £10,000 financial support and delegates this decision to the relevant council officer and board convenor.
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PUBLIC Johnstone Criterium Cycling Event 2.3 Note the feasibility study prepared by the events team, along with partners Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club (JWCC) and Scottish Cycling (SC) for a Scottish Circuit Race Championship criterium cycling event including all categories (youth and adult), within Renfrewshire’s major events calendar in Johnstone in August 2027. 2.4 If members wished to consider committing one-off resources of £100,000 towards the costs associated with staging this event in summer 2027, a funding source from existing Council funds would need to be identified as part of this decision to incorporate it within the 2026/27 budget. UK Government Town of Culture 2028 competition 2.5 Members are asked to note the update provided on the UK Government’s Department of Media, Culture and Sport Town of Culture 2028 competition and agree to monitor and review the DCMS process and assess its future potential for Renfrewshire’s towns. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The council’s events strategy 2025-2028 approved at Leadership Board in February 2025 set out three clear strategic objectives. • Events that are unique to our place Collaborating with partners, local businesses, and the cultural and third sectors, to position Renfrewshire as leader in sustainable events across civic spaces, that bring people together and are accessible, inclusive and unique to Renfrewshire • Events that are good for business Collaborating with the wider business sector to generate more opportunities for businesses to participate and benefit from economic impact and local spend, boosting reputation and profile and attracting visitors and re-locators • Events that are considered and open to all Creating accessible, inclusive and collaborative events that allow as many people as possible to participate by reducing barriers, ensuring accessible transport links and working in partnership with local communities and third sector to ensure event delivery is informed by lived experience 3.2 In the first year of delivering the strategy targets were set against identified key performance indicators. The table below sets out delivery against each KPI
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PUBLIC Indicator Target Result Attendees 109k 122.3k Volunteer hours 350 427 Performers 825 1984 Participation 3,000 6,652 Economic Impact and local spend £4m £4.49m Civic Pride 90% 92% 3.3 The results against each KPI show targets were met and exceeded across each theme. This is in part due to the reshaping of the winter programme which brought a five-towns focus and saw events delivered and supported in Linwood and Erskine, alongside those traditionally held in Paisley, Renfrew and Johnstone. The format of Paisley Halloween Festival and Paisley Christmas lights also contributed in particular with participation and performance numbers. 3.4 In addition to the delivery of the events programme, a new Events Partnership Group has been created with membership of over 30 local business, community, cultural and voluntary sector organisations. The group acts as a forum to share skills, experiences and resources and seeks to develop a year round cultural calendar for all of Renfrewshire. 3.5 Initial meetings have focussed on partner information sharing with presentations from partners including Lochwinnoch Arts Festival, The Star Project, Lilias Day and Linwood War Memorial Association. Council services have also presented on the Events toolkit and RenZero. Future meetings are programmed to look at the business sector and volunteering. 3.6 2026 programme 3.7 The 2026 programme dates are set out below. Key Performance Indicators and targets will be set in advance of delivery of the programme. Date Event 24 and 25 April Paisley Food Festival 7 June Renfrew Gala Day 20 June Barshaw Gala Day 4 July Sma’ Shot Day 18 July Renfrew Pipe Band
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PUBLIC Date Event 15 August Fire Engine Rally 5 & 6 September Doors Open Day 23 & 24 October Paisley Halloween Festival 8 November Paisley Remembrance Service 14 November Paisley Christmas Lights switch-on 21 November Renfrew Christmas Lights switch-on 28 November Johnstone Christmas Lights switch-on November Linwood Christmas Lights switch-on November Erskine Christmas Lights switch-on 3.8 Engagement is continuing with key local stakeholders and members of the community to finalise switch on dates for Linwood and Erskine Christmas Lights events. 3.9 In addition to the council’s existing programme, the team has been asked to consider the delivery and feasibility of hosting a World Cup Fan Zone and a Criterium Cycling Event. 4.0 World Cup 2026 Fanzones 4.1 A council motion on 11 December 2025 asked officers to investigate the possibility of hosting an affordable and accessible family friendly fanzone without cutting across the efforts of hospitality businesses across Renfrewshire. 4.2 The National team will take part in the World Cup in June 2026 for the first time since the competition in France 1998. As well as the World Cup Glasgow will host the Commonwealth games between 23 July and 2 August. 4.3 The World Cup is being hosted across America, Canada and Mexico. Scotland’s opening match against Haiti will take place on Sunday 14 June with a kick-off time of 02:00 GMT, with subsequent fixtures taking place at 23:00 GMT on 19 June against Morocco and 24 June against Brazil. 4.0 Venue options 4.1 Through our discussions with local venues including OneRen, Braehead and St Mirren Football Club it is apparent there is an interest from a commercial view to host one or more fan zones across Renfrewshire which would not require a financial or resource commitment from Renfrewshire Council, although there are options available to consider.
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PUBLIC 4.2 OneRen were approached for consideration of the Lagoon, Paisley Town Hall and any other suitable indoor venues. Due to existing confirmed bookings with each of these venues on each match day or the preceding/proceeding days none of the venues are available. 4.3 Braehead Arena indicated they are already planning a fanzone for match day two and three which would focus on pre-match entertainment for a family and adult audience alongside a food village and live screening of the match. The details of the programme and costs for this are still being considered by the Arena who would be interested in developing a strategic partnership with Renfrewshire Council on the delivery of the fanzones. 4.4 The partnership could involve options for official partner status, access to free tickets for community groups, an ability to inform and add experience & value to the fanzone for the benefit of the residents of Renfrewshire. To partner in this event a contribution of £10k would be required. 4.5 St Mirren were approached as a potential partner in delivering a fanzone. Whilst the stadium itself is unavailable St Mirren has offered the free use of the external car park space within the grounds of the stadium which would allow for the creation of an outdoor fanzone for approximately 2000 people the format of which would be mixed seating and standing. 4.6 St Mirren would provide the venue and Health and Safety management team to oversee the events free of charge and in turn would take the income from any pitch fee levied to food or bar operators. Renfrewshire Council would be responsible for all infrastructure, marketing and programming costs at a total of approximately £117,000. This figure will rise as it does not currently include policing costs as the local division await a national policy on the approach to cost recovery. 4.7 A commercial third party is interested in running an event directly with St Mirren, although discussions are at very early stages at time of this paper going to print and therefore viability and details of this partnership cannot be shared. This would not require any event management or financial contribution from Renfrewshire Council. 4.8 A consideration was made to host the event within a park within Renfrewshire however costs would be over £180k and would provide significant noise nuisance to local residents and is therefore not considered a viable option. 5.0 Considerations 5.1 A number of risks exist around a council hosted fanzone that should be highlighted for members consideration: 5.2 Match kick-off times, in particular the opening match, make it difficult for the events to be family friendly. Opportunity for wider programming is very limited.
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PUBLIC 5.3 From our evaluation data of the events programme, we know families tend to dwell for a maximum of 2-3.5 hours at any events. It is unlikely families would attend an event in early or even late afternoon and then stay for a late kick-off. The number of families who would bring their children to a public fanzone with alcohol through the night would be very limited. Whilst we would work with the licensing team to try to permit under 18’s to the fanzones it is highly likely given the timings, the audience would be primarily adult only. 5.4 Unlike the existing council programme, these particular events are unlikely to produce any social or economic impacts. There would be limited opportunities for any participation or performance. In terms of the economic impact whilst some people may visit local pubs or restaurants prior to attending the fanzone the council would potentially be taking the customers out of these venues for the duration of the matches and therefore reducing the profits of the local hospitality sector. This is a significant risk which should be considered by members. 5.5 A discussion with Paisley First indicated most local pubs were interested in applying for late licences for each match and any fanzone could detract from their customer bases which may already be challenging given the match times. Paisley First and the council licensing team are discussing how this may be achieved, licensing are awaiting information from Scottish Government on a national approach to late licenses. 5.6 In terms of delivering an event within the grounds of St Mirren, the following points should be considered: • there would be limited public transport options for attendees leaving the fanzone area, trains and buses do not start until after 5.30am and 7:00 am respectively. • there is likely to be increased alcohol consumption in advance of each match due to the late kick-off times which will require additional stewarding and police support to manage. • the fanzone would take place outdoors in an uncovered area, wet weather could impact attendance at the event. Temperatures through the night would also be a consideration even in June. • The event would be ticketed and mixed in terms of standing and seating – due to space limitations seats would be available for 50% capacity of ticket holders. • Due to capacity and the nature of the event it would be advised to charge a nominal ticketing price. In previous experience of offering free tickets, these are often taken up and then large percentages of ticket holders do not attend on the day. A ticket fee of around £5 per adult £2 concession could be considered. At an occupancy rate of 80% this would provide less than £18k in revenue and would still require significant council investment. • The capacity of the events team to plan and support an external fanzone is limited. The team are already delivering a full summer
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PUBLIC programme of events and will require to bring additional freelance officers in to support the planning and delivery. • a commercial event is already planned for Braehead Arena. Any families or residents who wish to attend a fanzone have an opportunity to do this in an indoor environment. 6. Update on activity in other Local Authorities 6.1 We are aware of other local authorities who have been involved in fanzones in the past where demand for tickets was limited and the zones remained quiet, for example Euro 2020 in Glasgow, where less than a third of tickets were purchased across the campaign. 6.2 In East Ayrshire a small scale 500 capacity fanzone was held by the Leisure Trust in 2024 where tickets were priced at £80 for a table of four, these tickets sold out and the event was considered a success however kick-off times were at more traditional kick-off times with an ancillary programme of free family activity delivered as part of the experience. It would not be recommended that any potential council fanzone would price on a similar scale. 6.3 For this Summer’s World Cup, Glasgow and East Ayrshire councils are still considering their final position however are currently looking to existing hospitality businesses offering indoor screenings rather than outdoor public zones, primarily due to match kick-off times. 6.4 East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, East Lothian, Dundee, Stirling, Fife, Scottish Borders and Clackmannanshire have all confirmed there are no current plans for any council-led fanzones. Falkirk are awaiting news if the football club plan to run any events within their stadium. 6.5 Commercial fanzones have been announced in both Edinburgh and Glasgow with no affiliations to their respective local authorities. 7.0 Summer of Sport 7.1 The Council’s existing events programme will support and celebrate the World Cup Campaign and the Commonwealth Games making football and sport a key theme in the programming throughout Spring/Summer events. The programme will partner with local organisations to develop a programme celebrating health and wellbeing and will look to develop national partnerships. 7.2 Given the potential for two privately run fanzones already in preparation to take place within the Renfrewshire, on this occasion it is not recommended the council take a lead role in this area. It is recommended that focus should be on activity across the summer months on Summer of Sport rather than individual fanzone events with limited participation, performance or volunteering options.
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PUBLIC 8.0 Criterium Cycling Events in Johnstone Town Centre 8.1 At a meeting of full council on 26 June a request was made that the Events Team undertake a feasibility study into the organisation of criterium cycle racing events in Johnstone town centre as part of their annual events programme, utilising funding for this from a variety of sources including, Scottish Cycling, OneRen, and business sponsorship; and involving local community and business partners. 8.2 A criterium, also referred to as a 'crit', is a type of bike race – popular across the United Kingdom – which entails several laps around a closed circuit. 8.3 Several meetings have taken place between Renfrewshire Council’s events team, Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club (JWCC) and Scottish Cycling (SC) in development of this feasibility study, who would form the key partners involved in delivering the event and have expressed enthusiasm for, and commitment to, the event and to being involved in its delivery. Input has been sought from other partners including OneRen, Johnstone Business Consortium (JBC), Johnstone Community Council (JCC), and Johnstone Sound (JS). 8.4 This paper outlines the recommended options around hosting a cycling event in Johnstone Town Centre in 2027 and outlines the financial commitment required to deliver a one-off event. Evaluation from the event would be used to measure the impacts achieved, with a view to returning to Board with recommendations regarding future years. 8.5 This paper notes that the Tour de France has since unveiled its route for a ‘Grand Départ’ from Edinburgh in July 2027, which would bring further national interest in cycling. 9.0 Partnership Approach 9.1 Led by Renfrewshire Council, a partnership approach would be key to the successful delivery of this event, with several national and local partners working together to deliver the potential economic, social, reputational and environmental impacts. 9.2 Renfrewshire Council has successfully supported the delivery of several cycling events within the last 10 -15 years, including the National Youth Circuit Race Championships in Paisley in 2015, Scottish Championships in Erskine 2009 & 2010, and in Paisley in 2011 & 2012, and StreetVelodrome in Paisley in 2014 and 2015. 9.3 Renfrewshire Council would take a lead role in delivering the event, social and economic impacts, and visitor experience, as well as providing: • Infrastructure such as barriers, stewarding/security, power, toilets, hostile vehicle mitigation and marquees. • Traffic management
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PUBLIC • First Aid cover for event attendees and spectators • Entertainment programme for areas such as Houston Square, and Ludovic Square. • Marketing and communications of the event • Management of licensing and health and safety aspects of the event. • Event Control – multi agency input from Council Health & Safety team, Police Scotland, Fire, Civil Contingencies etc. • Change facilities and race headquarters • Facilitation of parking 9.4 Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club 9.5 2026 marks the centenary of Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club, founded in 1926. A civic reception has already been planned to celebrate this in November 2026. Working closely with Scottish Cycling, the Club would take a key role in the development and organisation of a criterium cycle racing event in Johnstone. 9.6 Johnstone Wheelers has played an important part in Scottish Cycling, not only in the West of Scotland but also at the national level. Many famous members have promoted the Club over the years with their racing exploits, including Johnstone’s own Rita Jones Montgomery, who won 8 Scottish Cycling titles. 9.7 Johnstone Wheelers would be a key partner coordinating the event with Renfrewshire Council, Scottish Cycling and participants. JWCC’s role would involve: • Coordinating the competition, race participants and race schedules • Promoting the event across their networks • Coordinating expenses of Officials • Coordinating Marshals (volunteers) • Coordinating race numbers for jerseys • Supplying prizes for the event • Ensuring race insurance is in place, via British Cycling • Supplying first aid cover for race participants • Seeking sponsorship from local businesses 9.8 Scottish Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling, with a mission to inspire and support everyone to enjoy cycling. 9.9 Scottish Cycling is available to assist community organisers to deliver on their aspirations to host cycling events in their local area by providing advice and support. Whilst they are unable to provide funding, they can offer information on Scottish and British Cycling competitions that local organisers can bid to host, and support with this process. 9.10 Local, regional and national cycling events can be promoted through the Scottish Cycling networks and website.
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PUBLIC 9.11 Scottish Cycling would play a key role in supporting the organisers, Renfrewshire Council and Johnstone Wheelers, throughout the organisation and delivery of this event, including: • Supporting Johnstone Wheelers on delivering the race • Providing event site branding • Providing a presence on site • Acting as a conduit with British Cycling • Providing jerseys and medals for youth category winners. 9.12 OneRen would be open to looking at the hire of Johnstone Town Hall on a cost recovery basis. Johnstone Town Hall could be utilised for race participants and headquarters, as well as potentially for public events and activities. They would also provide a link to Active Schools, their Bike- ability programme, and wider sporting opportunities. 9.13 Business and community engagement 9.14 We would also seek to work with the wider business and community sector in Johnstone, and local organisations such as: • Johnstone Sound Community Radio • Johnstone Community Council • Johnstone Business Consortium • Active Communities • Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero and links to encouraging active and sustainable travel. • Cycle Arts Renfrewshire and Cycle Arts Festival – funded by Renfrewshire Council’s Culture, Heritage, Arts & Events fund to deliver a programme of events in summer 2027. • Renfrewshire Council Cultural Regeneration– linking in on any planned improvements to the civic spaces in Johnstone. 10.0 Market Feasibility 10.1 The annual Johnstone Christmas event attracts more than 2,500 attendees and utilises Houston Square, where local acts perform in the bandstand, local businesses host stalls and street entertainment and funfair is enjoyed. The Christmas event is run in partnership with Johnstone Sound, and in collaboration with other local partners such as Johnstone Business Consortium. 10.2 The audience capacity of the route mapped out for the criterium would be approximately 7,500, and it is estimated in consultation with Johnstone Wheelers and Scottish Cycling that approximately 3,000 spectators would attend across the day, based on between 100-200 race participants.
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PUBLIC 10.3 There are several competition options available, including: 10.4 Elite British Cycling National Circuit Series 10.5 Hosting an Elite British Cycling National Circuit Series event would be subject to a bid process, which would be submitted to British Cycling in Autumn 2026. 10.6 Elite British Cycling National Circuit Series events typically take place on weekdays, so as not to clash with Elite British Cycling Championship road-race competitions and usually take place during June and July. Elite British Cycling Championships would not be available for us to bid for at this stage, as these have been awarded to Wales through until 2027 10.7 British Cycling are open to Elite British Cycling National Circuit Series events taking place at the weekends but there are more factors that would influence their choice, including tender bids from across the UK, and competing events in the British Cycling calendar. 10.8 Scottish Cycling have indicated that if we successfully hosted a Scottish Cycling Championship, that would give us a stronger bid, should we wish to bid for an Elite British Cycling National Circuit Series event in future years. 10.9 Scottish Circuit Race Championship Cycling 10.10 Scottish Circuit Race Championship Cycling events can take place anytime that fits within the Scottish Cycling calendar, preferably in the summer months. A Scottish Circuit Race Championship Cycling event would include all categories of race participant, under 12s, under 14s, men’s and women’s races. In many locations, the youth categories have been separated out. However, Scottish Cycling would prefer that all categories happen in the same location on the same day. 10.11 Scottish Cycling would provide jerseys and medals for the youth category winners, while JWCC would provide jerseys, medals and prizes for the adult's category winners, which has been accounted for in the costings as part of this paper. 10.12 Hosting a Scottish Circuit Race Championship cycling event, would allow us to create a family orientated, weekend event, that would bring the most impact economically and socially. Based on partner discussions, we would recommend aiming for a Scottish Championship in August 2027. 10.13 Regional or local, smaller scale events. 10.14 Economically, reputationally and socially, regional or local competitions would not have a viable impact, as they would not have the credibility of
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PUBLIC either a Scottish Championship or a British Cycling Series competition, or ability to attract a significant number of race participants or spectators. 11.0 Operational Feasibility 11.1 Timeline: February 2026 • Feasibility study and papers submitted for approval to Leadership Board. • Leadership Board decision. August 2026 • Meeting to discuss provisional plans with Scottish Cycling & Johnstone Wheelers. September 2026 • Lead organiser Renfrewshire Council submit their planned event and preferred dates for 2027. October 2026 • Scottish Cycling will share the initial draft calendar, with event organisers and other key stakeholders. December 2026 • Dates announced. August 2027 TBC • Event takes place in 2027, likely to be August 2027, so as not to clash with Elite British Championship or Series events; or Renfrewshire major events calendar. 11.2 Partners have considered various options for the race route, and event site, and have developed a route starting and finishing in Willam Street. The route provides a safe, straight stretch of road for start and finish of the race; excellent capacity for spectators, and opportunity to utilise Ludovic and Houston Squares as part of the event site. 12.0 Wrap around programming 12.1 Renfrewshire Council would enhance the social and economic benefits of the event, with wrap around programming. Opportunities could include BMX workshops, market stalls, bandstand performances, street performance, and engagement with Renfrewshire Cycle Arts Festival and associated artists. The stalls format would also present opportunities for partners to promote initiatives such as bike-ability, active travel, sport, and other charities. 12.2 The events team would utilise the bandstand, which forms a centre point in Houston Square, and programme this with local music acts and community groups throughout the day, adding to the atmosphere and animation of the town centre and event. 12.3 Engagement through OneRen and Active Schools would encourage participation from local school pupils and families in cycling activities.
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PUBLIC 13.0 Financial Feasibility 13.1 Renfrewshire Council costs would total approximately £100,000, which includes production, health and safety, insurances, evaluation, marketing and communications, and programming costs. It is estimated Johnstone Wheelers would have costs of approximately £7k which would be offset by entry fees and any local business sponsorship. 13.2 Local business sponsorship is unlikely to materially support the event costs in any significant way, and Scottish Cycling have indicated they do not have funding available for race event delivery; therefore, the majority of costs would need to be met by Renfrewshire Council. 13.3 Should Scottish Cycling’s Regional Sport Development Fund be available to apply for in 2027, the amount of funding available is unlikely to materially support the event costs in any significant way. Organisers could apply for up to £2,000 in 2025, with successful awards totalling between £300 - £1000, and a total funding pot £6,980 available for organisers in the West region to apply for. It's worth noting that this fund is available to Scottish Cycling members only, so would need to be taken forward by JWCC. 14.0 Risks 14.1 There are some risks members should be aware of when considering this proposal. There is a lack of any economic impact report with regards to other criterium events which makes it difficult to benchmark or create meaningful KPI’s. Scottish Cycling have been able to share only one report with us relating to an event in Perth in 2025 attached as Appendix 1. 14.2 Additional areas to consider include a potential low response rate from entrants or a lack of buy-in from local community and/or visitors. Mitigations for this will include a clear stakeholder engagement plan, partnership working and a marketing and communications plan. 14.3 A final risk to note is the emerging proposals for refurbishment of the bandstand in Houston Square. The project is being progressed as part of wider enhancements to the Civic Squares within Johnstone, supporting delivery of the Town Centre Vision approved by the Economy and Regeneration Board in May 2024. Delivery of the project is subject to external funding applications however it is anticipated that the timeframe for works would be between spring and early summer 2027. Any change to this timeframe would have an impact on the footprint and infrastructure requirements of the proposed event.
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PUBLIC 15.0 Impacts: 15.1 Social 15.2 30% of all attendees at the Johnstone Christmas Lights indicated that attending the event improved their impression of the town. There was strong civic pride, with particularly high levels of agreement regarding Johnstone’s friendliness, feeling more positive towards Johnstone and perceived improvements in events and activities over recent years. However, the percentage of people who said they are ‘proud of Johnstone’s culture and heritage’ and that ‘events in Johnstone make them feel proud’ was considerably lower than in Paisley and Renfrew (ave. 70% v 90%)– suggesting there is work to be done to increase awareness and bring high quality events to Johnstone. (Independent Evaluation report, Johnstone Christmas 2025) 15.3 The event presents opportunities for volunteering and volunteering hours. As well as opportunities to engage local people in cycling / sport pathways and inspiration, with quality sporting competition on their doorstep. 15.4 The event presents opportunities for local people to participate in the races and wrap around activities, encouraging outcomes including wellbeing, community cohesion, and civic pride. As well as potentially increased membership of JWCC and local cycling clubs. 15.5 The event offers opportunities to engage with schools, and local community groups, and bring people together towards better wellbeing and community pride. 15.6 Economic 15.7 As referenced in the risks above it should be noted by elected members that limited data exists to support the theory criterium events attract significant economic impact to a host town. Scottish Cycling were able to share a copy of one impact assessment from the Youth Tour of Scotland hosted in Perth in 2025 attached as Appendix 1 which indicates impact to the region through overnight stays. 15.8 The 2025 Johnstone Christmas Light Switch-On attracted around 2,500 attendees and supported local economic activity, with a net overall spend by attendees of £96,175, of which £27,000 was spent with local businesses out with the event site. 15.9 Engagement with local businesses, Johnstone Wheelers, Johnstone Business Consortium, and Johnstone Sound to promote the ‘Spend Local’ message in Johnstone helps generate additional footfall and local spend for businesses in the town.
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PUBLIC 15.10 Sustainability 15.11 The event offers an opportunity to promote Renfrewshire Net Zero 2030, encourage active travel and sustainable travel, as well as local cycle routes, bike fixing / mechanics and enjoyment of cycling. 15.12 Reputation and Profile 15.13 The event would deliver an excellent experience for race participants and spectators alike, enhancing the reputation and profile of Johnstone and wider Renfrewshire as an event host, as well as provide opportunities for media coverage and social media awareness; branding opportunities for local businesses and partners; and showcase opportunities for local sporting and cultural talent. 15.14 The event aligns with Renfrewshire’s Events Strategy 2025/28 and strategic priorities outlined in the strategy including supporting events that are ‘unique to our place’; ‘boost business’ and ‘are informed and open to everyone’; and that take place across the region. 16.0 Feasibility conclusion and recommendations 16.1 This paper recommends that the board note the requirements for delivering such an event and consider the benefits and costs of hosting a Scottish Circuit Race Championship criterium cycling event including all categories (youth and adult), within Renfrewshire’s major events calendar in August 2027. Taking a partnership approach would provide opportunities for a family-orientated event that could generate social, economic and sustainable impacts for Johnstone’s local communities, as part of Renfrewshire’s events strategy and ‘five towns’ approach. 16.2 Members are asked to consider the funding ask to support the delivery of this event in 2027, outlined in section 8 of this paper, of £100,000. 16.3 To note that this ask is for a one-year stand-alone event to allow a full social and economic impact analysis to take place during the 2027 event with a plan to return to board reporting any impacts and making further recommendations around any future cycling events. 17.0 UK Government Town of Culture 2028 competition 17.1 Background 17.2 The UK Town of Culture (TofC) 2028 is a new competition by the UK Government Department for Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS). Appendix 2 provides details on key dates, eligibility, criteria, timeline and the application process.
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PUBLIC 17.3 Summary Issues for Consideration 17.4 The UK City of Culture competition and now the addition of a UK Town of Culture competition are intended to provide a launch platform to help cities and towns kickstart a journey of cultural regeneration, growing cultural participation, stimulating community partnerships and support an area to recapture its community cohesion and pride in place. 17.5 It is recognised that even beyond the winner, those areas that bid have the potential to benefit in the same manner as the winner. Detailed below are extracts from the current guidance on the Town of Culture competition which captures the essence of these objectives. Aims The UK Town of Culture competition aims to celebrate the significant contributions of towns to our national story. The competition focuses on building a more socially cohesive country where communities feel proud of their place and empowered to celebrate it. The UK Town of Culture is an opportunity for places and communities to use culture and creativity to tell their story and why they are proud of their community. Benefits of winning In addition to the £3 million main prize and £250,000 finalist prizes, we anticipate that winning will lead to significant, demonstrable outcomes, including a boost in civic pride, greater participation in cultural activities, and the formation of enduring community partnerships. These partnerships will help build a strong sense of place and champion grassroots arts and culture, mirroring the proven impact of the UK City of Culture programme. Research has shown that for the UK City of Culture programme more than 70% of attendees to UK City of Culture events feel a greater sense of pride. We also know that the benefits for places extend well beyond their title period, leading to a lasting legacy of social and cultural change. We expect to see similar benefits for the UK Town of Culture. Benefits of bidding Competing for the title, irrespective of whether or not a place wins, can have a hugely positive impact on the local community. It fosters a sense of local pride and strengthens collaboration among local partners. Previous bidders for the UK City of Culture report that the process brought the community together to develop strategic and cohesive cultural leadership. In turn, this enabled them to showcase – and open up access to – local heritage, art, and culture. 17.6 In 2017 Paisley was a finalist in the UK City of Culture 2021 competition and while it did not win the title, the bid itself and its supporting campaign did indeed provide the platform suggested by the DCMS guidance and
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PUBLIC was the key catalyst to the successful growth in the cultural sector, community pride in Paisley and has been instrumental part of the journey to redefine Paisley’s profile and reputation as a place. 17.7 In addition, and despite not winning the title, the Council has also committed very significant “legacy investment” since 2017. A commitment that directed the £7m originally earmarked for the 2021 programme to support what became the Future Paisley & Cultural Funding Programmes (Cultural Organisations Fund and the Culture, Heritage and Events Fund) which have been instrumental in growing the scale and capacity of the cultural sector in Paisley. 17.8 There has also been significant annual investment in events since 2017, which now includes an enhanced events programme which delivers two major events each year for the town (Paisley Food and Drink and the Halloween Festival) as well as a number of other events. This has all consolidated the Council’s commitment to the importance of culture and community partnership to the regeneration of Paisley and has supported the Council to maximise the legacy benefits from the 2021 bid. 17.9 Additionally, the Council has also delivered infrastructure investment across Paisley’s cultural venues in terms of the Museum, Town Hall, Arts Centre, Museum Store and Central Library, as set out in the bidding process, raising the profile of the town. The Council also delivered multiple physical regeneration projects through the Townscape Heritage Initiative/Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme to help restore the town’s outstanding architectural legacy and bring historic buildings back into use. All of the above has complemented the step change in the cultural capacity developed and scale of community partnership and engagement secured through the legacy investments. Taken together, this legacy journey has been instrumental since 2017 in helping to fundamentally change people’s perception of Paisley. 17.10 This year will see the culmination of that investment with the opening of Paisley Museum, as well as wider investment realised with the new Paisley Grammar School and Community Campus, work on AMIDS South and continued work to progress plans for the Paisley Centre. There have also been several other successful investments across the town centre such as new housing on the Arnotts site and various other private-sector residential developments. Paisley has therefore already been on the journey that the City and now Town of Culture competition envisages for its bidders or even winners. 17.11 Additionally, bidding for a UK Town of Culture event presents some opportunities but also several challenges. As outlined above it has significantly less relevance for a contemporary Paisley and considering any of the other towns and villages across Renfrewshire, it would also present challenges given the growing maturity of the ambition and ongoing work for developing the destination brand for wider Renfrewshire and all that it has to offer.
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PUBLIC 17.12 In terms of resource, bidding for the 2021 competition required considerable financial investment and corporate resource and capacity, with the council having undergone significant service redesign in recent years. The recent resident research carried out in 2025 told us that although culture and events remain important to people, including fostering a sense of civic pride, it also highlighted other priorities that are important to our residents, including supporting those most in need, investment in local communities through essential services such as roads and local community enhancements, all considered to be more important and we want to reflect that in our ongoing resource and funding decisions. 17.13 The short timescales for this competition and deadline for Expressions of Interest at the end of March will divert resource from council teams in order to support the requirements of the competition, including developing the partnerships and community support required to demonstrate wide support for such a bid. 18. Conclusion 18.1 For the reasons outlined above, including the short timescale, officers do not recommend progressing a bid for the competition but propose continuing to monitor and review the DCMS process to establish whether a future bid would be of benefit to the Council, its partners and residents. This can also consider whether other parts of Renfrewshire (towns or wider areas) should be considered in the future in the context of the developing work on promoting Renfrewshire as a great place to live, work and visit. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The costs are outlined in para 2.3 and 2.4 and 2.7 should members decide to proceed with either or both events. These additional costs would need to be met entirely from new funding as a budget does not currently exist within the events revenue budget to deliver either event or strategic partnership. 2. HR & Organisational Development - None 3. Community/Council Planning Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – The recommendations provided within the report set out options to deliver against the Council Plan and continue to position Renfrewshire is a great place to grow up, it's a place of opportunity for those that live and work here, and it's a brilliant place for a day out. Events generate local spend and economic impact for Renfrewshire through attendees, participants, overnight commercial and non-commercial stayers.
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PUBLIC 4. Legal – If members proceed with delivering a fanzone independently or becoming a strategic partner in a commercial fanzone there are implications around licensing late hours and under 18’s policy which will require to be considered. Scottish Government plan to publish statutory guidance on licensing approaches for these events. 5. Property/Asset - None 6. Information Technology - None 7. Equality & Human Rights (a) No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report as any fanzone would be fully accessible. 8. Health & Safety – The existing events programme and any other agreed events will continue to be supported by the regular multi agency and event Health & Safety meetings. 9. Procurement - Event suppliers would be sought in line with procurement guidelines 10. Risk – Highlighted throughout the paper, concentrated in paragraph 5.6 and 14.0-14.3 focussing on both stakeholder impact and financial. 11. Privacy Impact - None 12. Climate Risk - None 13. Children’s Rights – None 14. Cosla Policy Position - None. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Appendix 1: Youth Tour of Scotland Economic Impact (b) Appendix 2: UK Town of Culture 2028 application process ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Pauline Allan, Events Manager
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PUBLIC APPENDIX 1 Youth Tour of Scotland - Economic Impact The Youth Tour of Scotland took place in Perthshire on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th April 2025. Comprising of two days of racing, competitors travelled from across the UK and Ireland to compete in this event. Day 1 racing took place in and around Forteviot, while Day 2 took place on a City Centre circuit in Perth. Overnight stays = 473 overnight stays • 9 stayed 1 night • 109 stayed 2 nights • 54 stayed 3 nights • 14 stayed 4 nights • 4 stayed for a week or more Type of accommodation • 38% used a chain hotel – like Premier Inn or Travelodge • 23% used AirBnB • 12% used local hotels • 8% camped/caravaned • 3% stayed in a lodge/cottage Local spend on accommodation/food & drink = £67,861.50 • 12.6% spent up to £50 • 5% spent between £51 and £100 • 13.6% spent between £101 and £200 • 22.3% spent between £201 and £300 • 17.5% spent between £301 and £400 • 13.6% spent between £401 and £500 • 15.5% spent more than £501 Above spend has been calculated by scaling them up proportionally in line with the number of riders competing, and then using the midpoint of the range as estimated spend – for example using £150 for between £101 and £200 When asked if they would visit Perthshire to do more cycling in the future, 77% said Yes, 22% said Maybe, 1% said No.
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PUBLIC Appendix 2 UK Government Town of Culture 2028 Competition 1. Background Information Key Dates Expression of Interest and deadline (EOI) 14 January - 31 March 2026 Shortlisted Places Announced Spring 2026 Full Application Period Spring – Autumn 2026 Panel Visits Autumn 2026 Finalists and Winner Announced Early 2027 Delivery Period 2028 2. Eligibility and Criteria To be eligible, bidding places must demonstrate the capability to successfully manage, fund, and deliver a programme that clearly meets the established criteria. Bidders will be required to show their confidence in, and readiness for, programme delivery both in the EOI application and, in greater detail, during the full application stage. The DCMS expect bids to be from partnerships but require there to be a lead applicant for information and communication purposes throughout the application process. The DCMS suggest the partnership should consist of a range of community and cross sector partners such as local businesses, industry and civic leaders, cultural bodies, local library services, voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. The winning town will be awarded £3 million to deliver a cultural programme in 2028 of around six months. Additionally, the other two finalists will receive £250,000 each to deliver elements of their bid. There will be three finalists, one from each of the following categories, ‘small town’ for populations of under 20,000, ‘medium town’ for populations of 20-75,000 and ‘large towns’ for populations of over 75,000. 3. Timeline There are three main stages to the competition. Stage 1 - Expression of Interest (EOI) The short EOI phase is an opportunity to succinctly articulate vision, key elements of their proposed programme, and readiness to deliver. There is no requirement for detailed data, research or in-depth delivery plans at this stage however evidence of an established place partnership and community support for a bid is required. Stage 2 - Shortlisted places make a full application
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PUBLIC The shortlisted places will be awarded a grant of £60,000 to support the development of the full application. Full application details are expected to be shared in Spring 2026 with a 5 month completion window. The full application will expect a detailed plan for how applicants will deliver their vision, including a programme plan and narrative, partnership details and budget. The DCMS will require information about local context, priority needs and challenges and how the UK Town of Culture will address them. There may be requirement to undertake research, present data relating to expected impact, as well as delivery, fundraising and governance plans. At this stage applicants will also need to consider how to deliver digital content for wider public engagement through the competition. Stage 3 - Shortlisted places host and present to the panel The panel will visit the shortlisted places, who will be invited to present to the panel and engage in detailed discussions about their plans. The panel will assess the full applications and presentations of the shortlisted places including any outcomes of public engagement and communications, and against the competition criteria. The panel will submit their recommendation for the finalists and overall winner of UK Town of Culture 2028 to the Secretary of State for DCMS, who will make the final decision. The DCMS aims to announce the UK Town of Culture 2028 winners in early 2027. 4. Application Process The EOI form comprises three sections which each require a statement response: • Your story: tell us about the unique story and culture of your town • Culture for everyone: tell us how you will design a cultural programme which will provide visible, accessible culture that boosts the profile of your town • Making it happen: tell us how you will deliver a successful programme ‘Your Story’ is split into three sections: Vision, Local Needs and Empowerment. ‘Culture For Everyone’ is split into four sections: Quality and Innovation, Opportunity, Accessible and Communication. ‘Making it Happen’ is also split into four sections: Partnerships, Programme Management, Financial Management and Monitoring, Evaluation and Legacy. Full guidance for application as well as the EOI form can be found here. end