FOR ATTENTION OF MARK DREW

Culture? Give us surfeit of it. See! Shropshire can do Shakespeare.

And when it comes to opera, don't worry, we'll ask the farmers to wipe their wellies as they go in.

As Britain looks for candidates for the first ever Town of Culture award, the hunt can start and end in Shropshire with its wonderful historic and interesting towns, the magnificent rural backdrop, and something of a track record to boot.

Also, and let's be frank, we could do with it.Think of the sparkling entertainment, the vibrant streets, squares and parks, the shows, the events. Think of the prestige and the reputational value, putting a spring in the step of Salopians. 

Think of the money. 

Without wishing to add moral pressure, with Shropshire being a largely rural county, bringing the gong here would demonstrate a commitment to the countryside and allow us to show to the rest of Britain that in these parts life isn't all about morris dancing and dining on jugged hare.

They will of course take into consideration what a successful Shropshire bidder would have to offer. We know that already. Take Ludlow, where we merely have to mention Masque of Comus of 1934, which brought in visitors from across the world, and the long-running Ludlow Festival (finally done in by torrential rain), to underline its credentials as a regional cultural hub. The food is famously good as well.

Shrewsbury with its museums, theatre, river, and central location is always going to catch the eye, and with there being no flower show last year, a pick-me-up would be very welcome.

Telford surely has its hat in the ring too. There are sniffy folk who will not immediately associate Telford with culture, but hear this - as the new town developed it also flexed its cultural muscles through staging the old Telford & Wrekin Festival. What's more, work is under way to give it a theatre fit for the 21st century. So Telford will stand ready. Could it be Telford's time?

But this award is open to smaller places as well. Some of the traditional component communities of Telford boast brown signs which declare "Rich In Heritage" - rather ironic considering a lot of local heritage was destroyed as part of the building of Telford.

What small towns in Shropshire are "rich in culture" or, perhaps more importantly, could do with the boost, cultural and otherwise, that winning this award would bring?

So while for Shropshire towns there are incentives of kudos, opportunity, and money, there is a more subtle reason to bid for this award - if they don't, it is as if they are putting up signs saying We Self-Identify As A Culture-Free Zone.