I would never go as far as the inbreeding (everyone accuses everyone of that) comments but personal experience of some quarters of Hull have tarnished my opinion of the place and unfortunately that will stick longer in the memory than a few museums, a bridge and some out of work fishermen.



I'll stick to London as my preferred 2nd home

Great news for Hull. If it has half the impact that being European Capital of Culture had on Liverpool, then it will transform the city.

This really drives me mad with people who go off to London. Why constantly compare? One is a capital city and global destination, the other is a northern city which for decades was neglected and left to rot.



Of course, it is far from perfect and rough around the edges, but so what? Venture outside the centre of London and large parts of it are a dump. On our way to Twickenham last year we stopped off in Hounslow for a drink, say no more!

To be fair all towns and cities have areas that are dumps, this will be a good thing for Hull as said above it did a lot of good things for Liverpool and they seem to be carrying that on.

One thing we do all have in common is that they are rugby league mad in Hull. I went on a pub tour prior to a Warrington match with my mate who lives in Hull. He has been associated with rugby league coaching in the town for years. I'll remember the friendly banter for ever. I am sure rugby league will play a part in any celebration of culture.

Widnes is well worth visiting also.



When the sun sets over the town, the light reflects off the distillation towers in the chemical factory throwing, an un-worldly orange hue across the whole place. It inspired Dante to write that famous poem. And Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel fame wrote 'Homeward Bound' in Widnes railway station at the end of one of their tours.



Everyday's an endless stream

Of cigarettes and magazines

And each town looks the same to me

The movies and the factories

And every stranger's face I see

Reminds me that I long to be .......

All large towns/cities have rough areas as well as classy ones. You might review your opinion on Glasgow if you spent any time in the Merchant City area. Similarly, students don't generally get the most attractive areas of towns to stay in. Leeds city centre is pretty impressive but friends of mine have sons staying in right dumps while at Uni there.



Anyway, why not Hull as city of culture over Leicester, Dundee or Swansea?

I went to a conference in Glasgow a while back and was pleasantly surprised. Sadly, mud sticks.

Tom Courtenay (Billy Liar, Doctor Zhivago, Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner etc.) is from Hull so it's AOK for me, even if if have spent many an evening escaping the Boulevard and KC (and the HJ where thar in town come to think of it) under a hail of cans.



The "culture" monicker has enabled lots of fine, but run-down, cities to re-invent and re-vitalise themselves - Dublin & Glasgow for two, both beautiful cities. I hope Hull does too, and RL benefits - nice to see somewhere north of Watford get some attention and monies.

I agree with the positive comments from @Ganson's Optician but must point out that it is wrong to compare Hull with Warrington & Stockton Heath as Warrington in not a City & Stockton Heath is a Village.

Glasgow is a fantastic city with some of the most wonderful architecture in the UK, Macintosh and Greek Thompson are world class for example and knock the spots off the gates and Palmyra Square I know it's hard to believe ha ha



Whenever I've visted it's people are really hospiatble, proud of their town, but, welcoming particularly when they latch on to the fact that you are from the North and from a 'working town' rather than 'that there London'.



Good luck to Hull I hope that their City of Culture tenure does them good, raises their profile attracts investment and sorts out some of the ridiculous statements being made on here by the residents from the Shangri La that is Warrington.

The avenues area which I refer to is a high street type area very similar to SH, which is why I draw the comparison.