At the third time of asking, Bristol has won its bid to become European Green Capital. The fun will start in 2015, but what that entails is still mostly unknown at this stage.

No EU money will come to Bristol because of the accolade, but the city council have rustled up one million pounds which will be match-funded by Business West.

The result was announced at the M Shed last night, fittingly at the launch of Bristol’s Big Green Week, with a live link-up to Nantes, current European Green Capital (did anybody know that?), as Bristol beat Brussels, Glasgow and Ljubljana to the judges’ vote.

According to the European Green Capital website, the winning city  - which in the past has included Stockholm, Hamburg and Vitoria – will “provide an incentive for cities to inspire each other and share best practices, while at the same time engaging in friendly competition. In other words, the cities become role models for each other.”

Gus Hoyt was so excited at the win he was almost bouncing off the ceiling, not solely due to the calorific cupcakes sponsored by Space Engineering, a refrigeration company based in Avon Meads who certainly won’t be the only Bristol business hoping to tag along for the Green Capital ride.

The Green councillor and cabinet member for the environment said: “I don’t think the grin is going to come off my face for a very long time.

“It may be third time lucky, but it’s now the time when the judges have recognised Bristol’s true potential.

“The governance of Bristol really does now have a green agenda.”