YP Comment: Hull's sea change

FIFTEEN years ago, progress in Hull constituted the opening of The Deep aquarium and the KC Stadium, as the venue was then called. Even though these developments were modest compared to the pace of change in other Northern cities, the events of 2002 marked a turning of the tide and gave local leaders the confidence to be even more ambitious with their outlook.

Visitors looking at the projections onto City Hall. Mark Bickerdike

Even though these developments were modest compared to the pace of change in other Northern cities, the events of 2002 marked a turning of the tide and gave local leaders the confidence to be even more ambitious with their outlook.

Fast forward to 2017 and Hull is transformed. Not only was there a spectacular launch to this year’s City of Culture celebrations which immediately silenced the sceptics, but the green energy revolution on the Humber continues to gather pace as the first ship left Alexandra Dock carrying the towers, blades and nacelles that will be used to construct an offshore wind farm off the Norfolk coast.

As The Yorkshire Post has said before, City of Culture should not just be judged on the quality of artistic endeavour and number of tourists who visit the area, but whether it also generates a new era of inward investment in addition to the spin-offs from the Siemens factory.

Yet, while this is primarily a matter for Hull City Council and its partners, the responsibility for selling Hull rests with all – whether it be teachers providing pupils with world-class education skills that are so attractive to employer or people being prepared to visit East Yorkshire and experience the sea-change for themselves rather than allowing their views to be determined by outdated opinions based on the stereotypes of yesteryear. One week into 2017 and Hull could not have asked for a better start to the New Year. Long may it continue.

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