ABSTRACT
The decision to make new cities in 2000 and 2002 as a result of competitions was not surprising in the light of the perceived success of the 1992 competition, but in the course of the 1990s the public relations world, and the whole concept of boosterism and civic promotion, had moved on. Once the millennium competition had been announced, Scottish towns had to decide whether to take part. Inverness emphasized its role in northern Scotland, and Wrexham in North Wales, while Southwark played the London card by promoting itself as London's third city. Historic Scotland agreed to amend its literature to cite Dunfermline as a city on the grounds. On 7 August 2000 Galium Ingram of the Scotland Office told Robert McEwan of Dunfermline that 'there is no reason in principle to stop particular towns calling themselves cities if they wish to do so'.
