Organisers of the borough's Millennium celebrations have their fingers firmly crossed as they nervously wait for news of an ambitious bid.

If given the green light, the £150,000 bid could pave the way for five initiatives that would put Croydon firmly on the Millennium map.

With a decision expected in two weeks, the bid would complement other plans in the borough's Millennium pipeline.

As the Guardian went to press, the council was locked in talks that could bring an artistic circus and a Victorian funfair to the borough. This is on top of plans for an outdoor ice-rink skirting around trees in the Queens Gardens and a "museum without walls."

Bid organisers privately admit that full funding to the tune of £150,000 is unlikely, but are optimistically hoping that Croydon can still scoop a large slice of the Millennium Festival Fund cake - perhaps up to £50,000.

The five ambitious schemes, which were identified through consultation, include Skyline; Tramlink; Millennium Gardens; a Millennium Feast and the Mela festival.

But with the average award likely to be £30,000, the Tramlink and Mela projects stand the greatest chance of success. Tram stops could be brought to colourful life as communities design and create art pieces for new trams in a new Millennium.

Clarissa Todd, Policy Advisor (National Lottery) at Croydon Council, told the Guardian: "We are looking to develop some kind of local art that gives the tram stops a real identity. We would commission four artists and each would work with a specific community group."

The plans for the annual Asian Mela festival include community groups creating a new performance piece from scratch that could be world premiered in the borough.

The Chief Executive of the New Millennium Experience Company, Liam Kane, has already gone on record praising Croydon and saying that nowhere else is "so ready to take advantage of the opportunities the Millennium can provide."

But whatever the outcome of this specific bid, the council has promised that the borough will be at the epicentre of festivities come December 31.

"Croydon will be staging major activities to mark the arrival of the new Millennium whatever the outcome of our funding bid," said Councillor Adrian Dennis.

"Work to secure further commercial sponsorship will continue and the creative ideas continue to flow in."

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