In 2003, readers of The Idler magazine voted Hull the UK's crappest town, beating off strong competition from Morecambe, Basingstoke and Liverpool. I doubt many of them had ever been to Hull, but that's incidental; Yorkshire's only maritime city has long been cursed by a perception of crapness. This image problem is one of the reasons Kingston upon Hull (to use its proper name) was named "UK City of Culture 2017". The competition, which runs every four years, is modelled on the European City of Culture, which was so successful in reviving the fortunes of Glasgow and crappest town runner-up Liverpool. The win means £25 million of improvements and a year-long celebration that will include 25 festivals, 12 artists' residences and 1500 special events. It's hoped this will generate an additional £184 million in tourism revenue, money the city desperately needs. Hull is the tenth most deprived local authority area in the UK, with one in three children living in poverty. The city's life expectancy figures are in the UK's bottom 6 per cent and it has one of the worst unemployment rates in the country. All of which I'm struggling to reconcile as I tuck into tender medallions of pork wrapped in smoked saddleback bacon in the plush interior of Hull's 1884 Dock Street Kitchen. The restaurant won gold in VisitEngland's 2014 Awards for Excellence and is well on its way to a Michelin star. Outside, a gleaming flotilla of motor boats bob in a state-of-the-art marina that's surrounded by designer apartments. Err... what happened to the UK's Crappest Town? While the rest of the country has been busy making "Get the Hull out of there" jokes, Hull has been quietly reinventing itself. Stroll through the city centre and you'll find gems such as the Ferens Art Gallery, which has a world-class collection of European Old Masters, including Frans Hals and Canaletto, alongside contemporary works from British artists such as David Hockney. Hidden among the quaint cobbled streets of the Old Town is Hull's Museum Quarter. Here, you can spend a morning at the birthplace of William Wilberforce, the man who spearheaded the abolition of England's slave trade, and the afternoon gazing at a life-sized mammoth in the Hull and East Riding Museum of Archaeology. Alternatively, immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of yesteryear at the Streetlife Museum of Transport or learn about the hazards of deep-sea fishing on board the trawler Arctic Corsair. For something more contemporary, check out the world's only museum of club culture in the Fruit Market, an up-and-coming district where abandoned warehouses are being transformed into trendy cafes, concert venues and gallery spaces. Throw in The Deep, a stunning subterranean aquarium with Europe's deepest viewing tunnel, and Hull Truck Theatre, one of the UK's most innovative theatre companies, and I genuinely can't remember the last time my perceptions about a place were so at odds with reality. Surprisingly, this image problem doesn't seem to bother the locals, who have always had a strong sense of civic pride and independence. Hull is where Governor John Hotham famously refused entry to King Charles I in 1642, an act which precipitated the English Civil War. Today, it's the only place in the UK with cream telephone boxes. Hullensians are also disarmingly friendly. I lose count of the number of times I'm called "Love" in shops and pubs, where the service, in stark contrast to most UK cities, is warm and unhurried. While 2017 will be the standout year in terms of events, the city already has an impressive festival calendar. This month the Humber Street Sesh transforms the Fruit Market into an outdoor music venue with more than 180 acts playing on 10 stages. Next month, the three-day Freedom Festival showcases art, culture and dance to more than 80,000 people. And in October, Hull hosts one of Europe's largest travelling fun fairs, a week-long, neon-lit extravaganza that dates back to 1278. After decades of economic woes, Hull's fortunes are finally on the rise. Hot on the heels of the City of Culture win came approval for an offshore wind project that will create thousands of jobs. Even Hull City FC is getting in on the action. Last year they made it to the FA Cup Final, narrowly losing to favourites Arsenal. Now, when visiting teams come to play, fans are greeted by deafening chants of: "You're only here for the culture". http://www.traveller.com.au/hull-from-crappest-town-to-cultural-icon-gijocm
Great stuff, a prime example of what winning City Of Culture does for your national and international reputation.
You certainly find some good stuff Lammy....thank you for sharing Do you get a rake off from the City of Culture team?
Every time I read things like this I get a huge sense of pride - not that I've ever been one of those ****s who do down their own city. I've always been one to bang the hull drum, but I still feel like it adds an extra inch to my height when our great city is appreciated.
Same. Most people who put places like Ull down haven't been to it ever, and most likely couldn't even point to it on a map. Sadly, the same applies to other places around our glorious Isles.
We all need to big our City up. Too many times we let outsiders put us down. Well I say from this day forward "**** em". Hull is the best...walk tall and proud and tell the world. Do not mention that we have the most council estates in Hull and probably the most uneducated set of lowlife chavs in Britain. All we need now is a Premier league team with players who should have given a **** last season. Come on you CITY OF CULTURE
That was **** even by your standards. £184million from visitors. Should these people be allowed to come into Hull and join in these events as they don't live in Hull and pay rates there?
Lose the chip on your shoulder and stop trying to rewrite what others have said. You make yourself look more ridiculous by the post.
What a good article. Let's hope comments like those are built on and we can show the rest of the world what we already know about this great region.
One plus for the city is the friendly folk In the week a program on the box on british "quirks" suggested that we dont know who our neighbours are and wouldnt dream of starting a conversation on a bus or train ,Well that aint true in Hull we will talk to anyone anywere and get a conversation going My nieighbour who is Italian and lived in the south and midlands , in his opinion there isnt owt like Hull folk for being friendly To the point The year of culture will welcome visitors who will see that for themselves We to long have been hammered by the press It is a great city and we are proud of it
I was in Green Bricks last night and started a convo at the bar with a guy. He was very smartly dressed and i complimented him on looking quite dapper. He said that's the 3rd compliment I have had in here in 40 minutes. He was from London and said nobody would have said those kinds words in London. Hull people are the tops.
there is a massive misunderstanding as to what the City of Culture actually is . One thing for certain the title isnt so much an award , more of notice for improvement. The reason Hull was granted the 2017 title was that it showed with investment it could vastly improve on the current state of affairs . There is still sod all to do in this City , the festivals are great and show what can be achieved but there isnt much of that bohemian spirit you find in nearby York and our guests staying in Beverley always want to know more about whats to do there than in Hull , despite our best efforts to find them events.
Bloody hell olm dont let north ferriby tiger read that he hates the place. He wont eat his a la carte Sunday lunch
How much of the world will be aware is the second UK place to be awarded UK City Of Culture? Less than aware of where are awarded European City Of Culture.
When will those Hull people who knock the East Riding admit the benefits they get from the existence of the East Riding? They are happy to use the beaches and promenades provided by the East Riding and attend concerts at the Spa whilst knocking the place.
