In 2021 Swindon Borough Council announced it was planning a bid for Swindon to be granted city status.

But the idea was so universally disliked among Swindonians that it was eventually scrapped.

Almost 700 people took part in the council's survey floating the idea as a possibility, with 71 per cent of them saying no.

At the time then-council leader David Renard, said: “It has been a difficult year for all of us, especially our businesses, due to the pandemic, and the responses from the recent survey indicate that pursuing city status is not the right thing to be doing at the present time.

"I completely understand the need to focus on the town’s recovery and not be distracted by less important initiatives that will not provide a significant boost to the town’s businesses.”

But we wanted to see what the people of Swindon thought about the idea of Swindon Town becoming Swindon City two years later, so we asked our readers on Facebook.

Here are the responses.

Tracey Chittock said: "It needs the council to put a lot of investment in to building a better town before that could happen.

"Oh and a cathedral."

Jane M Morgan said: "Having grown up near Swindon . Trips to Swindon was once a great place . Shops, cinema, night clubs.

"I visited recently and was shocked you can’t walk from the bus station to town anymore.

"Nowhere to buy a newspaper. It’s a shame it’s now so rundown."

Aen Laughland said: "Is similar to Gloucester, (bit rundown as well!) and bigger population…….but has no Cathedral."

Samuel Hobbs said: "In terms of overall size, absolutely. If St. David's, a place with a population smaller than Chiseldon of all places, can be made a city, then so can Swindon."

Mikayla Ballard-Kearns Celebrant said: "Inject lots of love and money into it and stop destroying the old buildings and you might have a city."

Paul Swenne said: "There was a point where Swindon my home town was full of industrial employment and much enjoyment

"But every big company or store has upped and left

"But still this place lives on

"Swindon needs solidarity and commitment from business

"I pray we can get back to the bustling town of industry and retail we were."

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Richard Clark said: "I don’t think so. We keep hearing Swindon needs investment, but no one is going to invest in a town where there have been so many failed projects.

"I saw an old television series recently and heard someone quote “There’s nothing like failure to dry up the money supply."

"What we need is our new council to create some new projects and see them to completion, to show they can get things done, then hopefully we will get the investment this town so desperately needs."

Martin Newman said: "I’ve lived in a number of cities and now live in Swindon and it isn’t a city."

Neil Davies said: "Swindon has got quite a big centre. Loads of shops restaurants big chains etc still open.

"Swansea is a city but Swindon is just as big if not bigger in my opinion."

Joy Lyons said: "It’s barely a 'town' with what it offers, it’s a joke to even think about calling it a city, unless it improves and gains a shopping centre and a university maybe?

"It can be good again, but it needs so much work, it’ll take a miracle sadly!"

Carolyn Corr said: "Yes it should, but not in the state it’s in at the moment, it’s a total embarrassment!

"It needs someone to invest a lot of money into rebuilding and modernising the town centre, maybe then the shoppers will return."