No bids will be made for Lincolnshire to host the Eurovision Song Contest

Lincolnshire bosses are doubtful any bids will be made to host the Eurovision Song Contest in the county – saying the area just doesn’t have the space.
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Despite some amazing venues such as the Lincolnshire Showground, Market Rasen Racecourse and a number of football stadiums councillors have told reporters none of them are big enough for the massive event.

Organisers of the major European contest have announced the UK would be hosting the Eurovision Song Contest on Ukraine’s behalf due to the ongoing war.

Ukraine won the 2022 contest with Kaush Orchestra’s Stefania, however, there were already doubts about the country’s capabilities to host even then.

Lincolnshire bosses are doubtful any bids will be made to host the Eurovision Song ContestLincolnshire bosses are doubtful any bids will be made to host the Eurovision Song Contest
Lincolnshire bosses are doubtful any bids will be made to host the Eurovision Song Contest

The UK came second with Sam Ryder’s Spaceman which also became the highest-charting UK Eurovision entry since Gina G’s Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit in 1996.

Asked if Lincoln would be placing a bid to host the event, Labour leader of Lincoln City Council Ric Metcalfe said the thought had crossed his mind.

However, he added: “I don’t think so because I don’t think we’ve got, unfortunately, the venues and the infrastructure to support an event of that scale.

“It would be nice to think that we could… but being realistic I think its inevitably going to go to either London or one of the bigger metropolitan areas clearly.”

He was backed by Conservative Lincolnshire County Councillor Colin Davie, the executive portfolio holder for economy, who said: “We would be happy to welcome Eurovision to Lincolnshire, however the staging of such a major television event requires enormous facilities and a very large venue in which to stage the show.

“If we could find a venue, of course would be be happy to back the team for Lincolnshire to be considered by government, however, we are already in a field of very big cities waiting to host the show, so we shouldn’t be raising expectations too high.”

It is expected most major cities will throw their hat into the ring.

Asked if there were any plans for Eurovision related events to coincide with the competition, a spokesman for Lincolnshire County Council said the programme for next year was “not finalised” and it was “too early to say”.