Yeah. Many a time.

It wasn't dissing the place. After all I am working to raise the quality of services in the area. I just feel it lacks the commerce of most major cities. This culture exposure is an opportunity to get the ball rolling.

Most of my colleagues live on the West or North end, Swanland, Beverley etc. I was taken by how most of them say they have to travel to Leeds or York to have a real good shopping spree.   This is the money leaking out of the city in its small way. It is an example not an end but please take this in the way intended, Hull has the space, capacity and population range to cater more up market and the overall investment that gives to the city. I have often defended Hull by saying it has a lower self esteem than it deserves.

I love the place but it needs a dimension. A large River Island near the coldest Starbucks ever opened isn't an end, it's a beginning if the city centre is to thrive.