Seven Scottish cities and one council space are within the working to be awarded metropolis standing as a part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Dumfries, Dunfermline, Elgin, Greenock, Livingston, Oban, St Andrews and the entire area of South Ayrshire have been put ahead.
They're competing with 21 cities from England, three from Northern Eire, two from the Isle of Man and one from Wales.
George City within the Cayman Islands, the Falklands capital, Stanley, and the territory of Gibraltar have additionally been nominated.
The profitable candidates can be introduced this month by the UK Authorities, with considered one of them anticipated to be north of the Border.
St Andrews and Dunfermline look like the favourites in Scotland and bookmakers McBookie have the Fife cities priced at 2-1 and 5-2 respectively.
The final Scottish cities to realize metropolis standing have been Perth in 2012 and Stirling in 2002, each to mark Jubilee years.
Inverness joined the authentic 4 of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow to mark the brand new millennium.
Historian Patricia Dennison, creator of The Evolution of Scotland’s Cities, stated: “I wish to assume that metropolis standing could be awarded to the city with the deepest roots in Scotland’s nationwide story.
“Through which case, it will be between Dunfermline and St Andrews.
“Nonetheless, I might in all probability lean – simply – in the direction of Dunfermline as a result of it's now the extra substantial city when it comes to inhabitants and its economic system.
“It carries barely larger weight with its royal connections too. Kings have been born and are buried there.
"Earlier than Edinburgh was the capital, it was one of many locations the place the monarch would reside.
“Nonetheless, in its favour, St Andrews is known as after the patron saint of Scotland, which is an easy however probably essential issue.”
John Carnie, a lecturer in planning and concrete research at Glasgow College, stated: “The judges can be in search of a spot with a way of historical past and cultural identification, and all of the candidates have that.
“However they will even wish to be glad that a profitable city has the texture of a metropolis so the bigger it's, the extra helpful.
“Metropolis standing will present a lift to tourism but additionally a aggressive financial edge.
"It's a magnet for funding from each the private and non-private sector, which is important if city centres are to be revitalised after the pandemic.”
A Fife Council spokesperson stated: “St Andrews, identified worldwide as the house of golf and Scotland’s first college, traditionally had metropolis standing.
"The traditional capital of Scotland for over 400 years, Dunfermline is now one of many fastest-growing cities in Europe.”
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