Lancashire misses out on bid to host Great Exhibition of the North
Blackpool and Lancashire's bid to host a major exhibition showcasing art, design and innovation from the north of England has failed.
Instead Newcastle and Gateshead have been selected by the government to host the £5m Great Exhibition of the North in 2018.
Former Chancellor George Osborne came up with the idea as part of his Northern Powerhouse package.
The 77-day exhibition will have the overarching theme of The Blazing World - The Fires of Invention.
Other shortlisted bidders which missed out were Sheffield and Bradford.
Marketing Lancashire, which led Lancashire’s bid, tweeted today: “Congratulations #NewcastleGateshead. Look forward to being part of the #GreatNorthExpo18”