Driving in this a.m. was a review of Hull and their year as City of Culture. BBC 5 Live gave a lot of highlights from their year, excluding RL and Wembley of course, and it made me think what would happen if by some miracle, WMDC applied.

Hepworth Gallery
Yorkshire Sculpture Park,
Newmillerdam Country Park
Anglers Country Park etc.,
Plenty to offer in the area for the luvvie and standard human and then, sliding it in gently, so to speak, a great sporting heritage in Wakefield Trinity.
Tourists may flock to see the iconic stadiums following WMDC's successful application for the privilege but there just seems to be a building site where "Super" League takes place near the centre.

The bottom hole of the world in Liverpool managed it, Stoke are applying for it. If enough thought Wakefield should apply for it as you get a few million as winners, WMDC might plug a few gaps in the city infrastructure, then again, perhaps I have been dreaming in the shower too long.

Wakefield wouldn't have a prayer.

You're kidding surely?

Qe can't even look after the cities greatest legacy, it's RL club. The Hepworth is frankly ordinary as is the sculpture park. I use Anglers a lot but it's hardly special. New miller dam is a pretty oasis but everywhere has somewhere like it.

Wakefield is fairly bland and always has been. It's two saving graces used to be it's incredible pub scene and it's RL club, both of which are in decline (off the field in our case).

The Hepworth has its value and the Sculpture Park is great but seriously Manuel, are you bored at work or something?

Last time I went to the Sculpture Park I saw the Parking Charges and came straight out. Went to the Black Bull for a meal and a drink instead.

https://www.google.co.id/amp/www.indepe ... html%3famp Brexiteers need not apply.

https://www.google.co.id/amp/www.indepe ... html%3famp Brexiteers need not apply.

I'll take you to task there regarding the decline in the pub scene Vasty, as the one man Wakefield pub scene spokesman you couldn't be more wrong. The pub scene has improved immeasurably in the last 5 to 10yrs plus the the introduction of Craft beers and popularity of gin have given the City the kick up the arris that it needed.
For us old kids the top of Westgate and up into town a little is a great area, there's probably ten bars that are worth a visit. This isn't a Leeds or Wakey debate, I just feel that if you want a cheaper more relaxed atmosphere that Wakey is a fantastic option to Leeds.

Nowhere in the UK will have a prayer now - thanks to Brexit, we're no longer eligible...

Fantastic culinary scene as well - Norma's and Pie Shop.

Fair enough but I was referring to the glory days in the late 80's early 90's when Westgate was rammed and the club scene was in full throttle and it was full of young people - I don't think either of us qualify for that.

What you describe sounds great but it's not the sort of night out I was meaning.

TBF it does get pretty chocka, not full of Young people thankfully, more a sea of baldness, glasses, silver hair and with a smattering of hipster beards to level it all out, if/when SWAG need a meeting we'll have to give it a whirl.

The last time I saw Westgate 'pretty chocka' was circa 1999.

Was up there two weeks since, very full on the Saturday night.

Hull is currently UK city of culture. Totally different thing to the European Capital of Culture.

Thank you KSC. I was trying to spark a debate regarding the potential of applying and then hoping some momentum came to tart up the city, particularly it's heritage rugby league club ground in the process. sorry if I was obtuse for the hard of hearing.

I never miss a chance, even when I'm wrong, to have a dig at the whole Brexit kerfuffle. My mistake.

On the subject - Wakefield feels to me to be having something of a resurgence in terms of its cultural life; the Hepworth has attracted loads of attention whether you like it or not, the live music scene is better than it has been for a good while - although that will take a hit with the failure of the brilliant Unity project - and the bar and restaurant scene is perhaps better than ever - with a shift away from the sweaty, packed out Fri & Sat scene of my salad days, to a more rounded out, adult offering. We do especially seem to have more than our fair share of really good restaurants - which seems a bit incongruous - but I'm not complaining.

But it's still Wakey - and there are still aspects of it both socially and geographically, that drag it down; and without the decades of inward investment that Leeds has had, and with a council who seem parochial and incompetent by comparison, it will probably be ever thus. These days, when asked what's a good night out in Wakey, it's hard to come up with any other answer than "Leeds."

I'm not the retainers stereotypical idea of a brexiter. I studied it in depth and I found my decision very difficult and the way I finally voted will remain private. It was however close I can tell you but the loss of eligibility to something as ludicrously trivial as European city of culture was not an issue.

If the hard core remainers ever want the apology from the brexiters that they so clearly desire and apparently feel entitled to they will need to do better than this particular non loss to get it.

I'm just amazed Hull was awarded it.

What's up with Hull that you were amazed they got it?

I think the OP has a point, because it's my understanding that the City of Culture is not about recognising the culture but about regenerating somewhere that has lost its way but does have some culture. Hence Hull. Hence Stoke.

It's about regeneration, not culture.

Obviously you haven't been to Hull recently.

That's also my understanding. It's not about giving the haves even more, it's about raising the profile of the have nots and could haves.

People confusing the UK City of Culture and European version.

That is true. Last time I went to Hull outside of RL matters was about 7 years ago.

Apart from the City's sculpture worthies ie Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, and art galleries, what about our great literary heritage. Such great writers as Stan Barstow ( A Kind of Loving); David Mercer (Morgan a Suitable Case for Treatment); David Storey (This Sporting Life); George Gissing (Grub Street) and probably the most famous author of all: the award winning Lupset author Paul Sykes (Sweet Agony).

All-in-all I think the European Cultural City of the Year can only be Wakefield.