Political leaders have put a proposal together for the Olympic Games to be held in the North.
The Great North – a collaboration of mayors and leaders across the region – has written a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy, calling on Government to commit in principle that any future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid is based in the North and for a fairer redistribution of major events across the country.
The North already has many of the foundations in place to deliver a world-class games, including elite sporting venues, major stadia and arenas, established transport hubs, accommodation capacity, and world-class broadcast and creative capability, the letter says.
The letter comes following a call from the Heseltine Institute for the North of England to host a multi-city games, citing the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s growing support for multi-city, region-wide bids, making a Northern England Games both credible and timely.
The region has a proven track record of hosting celebrated global events, the leaders say, from the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the Great North Run, Rugby League World Cups, The Open, Ashes Tests, the Grand National, and major football tournaments.
The Tour de France will be hosted in Cumbria, Liverpool City Region and Yorkshire in 2027, while the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield is a regular feature in the North’s sporting calendar.
Northern mayors and leaders said they believed a games anchored in the North would represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate regeneration, rebalance the economy, and reset international perceptions of England.
It could act as a catalyst for long-term investment in transport, skills, housing, grassroots sport and cultural infrastructure, with benefits lasting well beyond the closing ceremony.
In the letter, mayors and leaders have asked Government to:
- agree in principle that any future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid is anchored in the North of England
- support proportionate feasibility and preparatory work in partnership with Northern Mayors and Leaders
- align early on the legacy objectives of any bid, ensuring long-term benefit for Northern communities, including a plan to redistribute more major events to the North as a catalyst for jobs, regeneration and attracting more visitors.
The Great North said they were ready to work with Government to shape a proposal that is credible, deliverable and transformative – not just for the North, but for the country as a whole.
Jonathan Brook, leader of Westmorland and Furness Council, and Mark Fryer, leader of Cumberland Council, welcomed the ambitious move.
They said: “Already this year we have been able to announce that one world famous sporting event, the Tour de France, is heading to Cumbria and the north of England in 2027, so we should continue to aim high.
“It is unlikely that stood alone any city or county could have realistic hopes of pulling off such a major coup.
“But the combined ambition and offer of the authorities across the North of England is a far stronger proposition and we stand ready to engage with Government on working up a proposal that could have generational impact and legacy for our entire region and the country as a whole.”
