By Mal Butler
The seafront may look rundown with its derelict hotels, but Sandown still believes it has something to offer and is the latest Island town with ambitions of being crowned UK Town of Culture 2028.
Sandown has joined Newport, Ryde, and Ventnor, along with hundreds of towns up and down the country, bidding for the top prize of £3 million to fund its own cultural showcase in two years’ time.
Town councillor and bid leader, Tracy Mikich, confirmed: “Sandown’s pitch is a result of really enthusiastic participation by the community. Our bid was shaped at a packed town meeting in February, where people came along full of ideas, then stayed in touch via a WhatsApp group to follow them up. Public engagement has given the whole exercise a lift from the start.
“Bringing the town together to establish what kind of place we want to be, and the one we’re definitely able to be with a bit of cultural investment, has been the most satisfying result. Sandown now has an exciting programme to work on whether or not we’re favoured by the Town of Culture judges.”
Despite the abandoned buildings, the bid team have no hesitation in using the town’s decline as its starting point. It claims: “In Sandown, you’re never more than 500 metres from crumbling dereliction, and the natural beauty of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.”
It says that, despite having a string of eyesore sites, they are just “footsteps away from the glorious sandy beaches of Sandown Bay, and its stunning coastal landscapes along with the town’s lesser-known heritage.” Sandown is home to the Wildheart Sanctuary, while Dinosaur Isle is just up the road in Yaverland. It was also a Victorian carnival town, where Charles Darwin began writing On the Origin of Species in 1858, and Lewis Carroll perfected The Hunting of the Snark, coincidentally published 150 years ago on April 1,1876.
Sandown supporters claim its credentials embrace more than its rich natural setting and cultural heritage, and the bid reveals a place ready to make a mark in the 21st century as a centre of excellence for sciences as well as arts.
The town claims it is ready – but will the judges agree with them?
Tilly Walder 
Isle of Wight Observer