THE cost of Southampton’s failed attempt to become the UK’s first “city of culture” in 2013 has cost the taxpayer more than £10,000, the Daily Echo can reveal.

The bill included the cost of hiring city PR firm Carswell Gould to promote the bid by delivering a giant Christmas card to the culture secretary.

But the joint bid with Portsmouth – under the slogan “PS I Love You” – failed to make the final shortlist of Birmingham, Sheffield, Norwich and Derry/ Londonderry.

It is estimated the status will bring the winning city £100m in investment and tourism.

Southampton City Council said it had spent up to £5,000 on the bid and was handed another £5,000 of public funds from the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire, a club of local councils. Portsmouth is thought to have contributed a similar sum.

Disappointed council officials spent months preparing for the bid with the help of regional arts and culture experts. They are now considering a bid for 2017.

A spokesman said the council needed to spend enough money to give it a “credible chance of winning” while being careful not to waste taxpayers’ money.

He added: “The money spent has also given us a platform, in terms of expertise and knowledge for future bids.”