Exeter to get its own Monopoly edition

Since the beginning of last month the public has been voting in their many thousands for one of the West Country’s five capital cities to have their very own MONOPOLY for this year.

And Exeter has emerged triumphant, with the announcement being made today at Exeter’s Guildhall.

Devon’s capital city saw off the capitals of Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire in the poll.

Exeter commanded 34.3% of the vote ahead of Dorchester (26.1%), Taunton (15.3%); Trowbridge (14.7%) and Truro (9.6%).

Now the public will get to vote all over again over a one week period – but this time for just Exeter landmarks to feature on (and fill) the new MONOPOLY: Exeter Edition board.

The public will be invited to nominate which locations - and crucially WHERE they should appear on the board.  So, for example, Mayfair could be Exeter Cathedral. 

The Guildhall, which is hosting Thursday’s official announcement and has been the centre of civic government for Exeter for the last 600 years, could replace Whitehall.

Other possibilities: The city’s newspaper could land Fleet Street. A theatre could appear on London’s West End yellow set. And the Racecourse could take a ‘Chance’ site. Landmarks that could also feature: The football and rugby clubs, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, the University of Exeter, Powderham Castle.

There will be in total 22 Exeter property locations up for grabs.

The board is being produced by Winning Moves UK, which has the official license from MONOPOLY owners Hasbro to produce the board.

As well as property landmarks taking on an Exeter flavour and feel, many of the Community Chest and Chance cards will be customised too. There are even plans for one to fine players for merely visiting Torbay!

The four train stations from the original London board will take on a ‘travel’ feel. They could be handed over to a selection of ‘travel’ landmarks – including the two key train stations for Exeter (St Davids and Central).

Graham Barnes, MONOPOLY Executive at Winning Moves UK, who have the official license from MONOPOLY owners to produce this board, says:  “Hearty congratulations to Exeter and commiserations to other four. Dorchester ran Exeter very close all the way through the polling and at one point we were thinking we may have to roll the MONOPOLY dice.

“It certainly was a great race and one worthy of MONOPOLY itself with lots of twists and turns during the polling. At one time Dorchester was ahead.  So a very big thank you to everyone who voted.

“We’re delighted to now be producing this official version of MONOPOLY based on the most popular and loved landmarks of Exeter,”

Exeter Council Leader Pete Edwards adds: “I am absolutely delighted that the voting public has chosen Exeter to be represented in a special edition of the world’s most famous board game, exactly 80 years after MONOPOLY was launched.  This is such exciting news and now the people of Exeter will get to vote for which city landmarks should be represented on the board. It will be particularly interesting to see which locations appear as the Mayfair and Park Lane of Exeter.”

Mr Barnes adds: “The new Exeter board will go into production to be ready in time for this Christmas.”

MONOPOLY celebrates its’ 80th birthday this year, having first hit shop shelves on 19th March 1935.

Did you know...

• The longest ever game lasted 70 (yes seventy!) consecutive days.
• Escape maps and compasses were hidden in boards smuggled into prisoner of war camps inside Germany during World War II, with real money for escapees slipped into packs of MONOPOLY money.
• MONOPOLY is reputed to have been instrumental in the capture of the ‘Great Train Robbers’ who played MONOPOLY using real money.
• Amongst the most sought after themed MONOPOLY sets is a Wizard of Oz version and a much coveted Elvis one.
• It is estimated that more than six billion green houses and two billion red hotels have been constructed since 1935.