Margaret Thatcher festival planned for centenary

A festival to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher's birth is due to be held in her home town later this year.

The former Conservative prime minister was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, in 1925 and died in April 2013, aged 87.

South Kesteven District Council is planning a programme of events during the week of 13 October.

A council meeting earlier heard ideas being suggested for the festival, including themed beers with names such as Iron Lady or Grantham Lass, which would "relate to the Thatcher experience".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, details of the programme are still being developed, with little yet confirmed about what will be included in the celebrations.

Council leader Ashley Baxter indicated the event could be called "The Festival of Thatcher".

Speaking at a finance and economic overview and scrutiny committee meeting on Tuesday, he said he hoped the event would give a fair representation of the former PM's "impact on the UK and the world".

Thatcher was the UK's first female prime minister and held the post from 1979 until her resignation in 1990.

Karen Whitfield, assistant director of leisure, culture and place at the council, described the anniversary as a "significant event for Grantham".

She said: "There will be a lot of organisations wanting to put on events, performances and shows.

"What we're trying to do is bring together a group of stakeholders so they don't all end up fighting for the same bite of the cherry, and so there's a co-ordinated approach."

Conservative councillor Mark Whittington pointed out that 2027 would mark the 300th anniversary of the death of Isaac Newton and his former school in Grantham was planning to celebrate the milestone.

Baxter said he and fellow councillors had met the headmaster of The King's School about plans for a year of events.

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