(City status is rarely granted in the UK and only 14 new cities were created during the 20th century.
In the last contest - held in 2002 for the Queen's Golden Jubilee - Preston, Newry, Lisburn and Newport were among the winners.
In 2000, Brighton and Hove, Inverness and Wolverhampton were given the status to mark the new millennium.
The unsuccessful towns which entered a contest to "win" city status were: Bolton, Bournemouth, Colchester, Coleraine, Corby, Craigavon, Croydon, Doncaster, Dorchester, Dudley, Dumfries, Gateshead, Goole, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Reading, Southend, St Austell, Stockport, Tower Hamlets and Wrexham.