Many of the biggest changes to Hull will come during, or immediately after, the year-long UK City of Culture programme, in 2017.
But there are already some clear signs of change: The Ferens Art Gallery, for example, is currently on the receiving end of a £4.5m facelift as it prepares to host the 2017 Turner Prize; plans to create a world-class cruise terminal are still on the drawing board; and new accommodation has either already been opened in the shape of Hull Trinity Hostel or – in the case of the new DoubleTree by Hilton – will open in Spring 2017.
At the same time, certain quarters of the city are starting to change their character. According to the national media, the funky Fruit Market is set to become “the new Shoreditch”; while The Avenues, with its bohemian shops and laid back clubs, is “the new Notting Hill”!
And The Marina is already becoming the focal point for a new generation of restaurants, cafés and distinctive eateries.
This is where you’ll find the youthful, yet multi-award winning 1884 Dock Street Kitchen, which was not only named Best Restaurant in Yorkshire in 2013, but also went on to win gold in the Restaurant of the Year category of VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence in May, 2014. Spurred on by that success, the same team has more recently opened the laid-back 1884 Wine & Tapas Bar on the opposite side of The Marina.
Other places that not only come highly recommended, but also doff their cap at the city’s renowned real ale offer, include The Green Bricks pub and restaurant; andMinerva. One of Hull’s iconic pubs, Minerva features the smallest pub room in Britain, where customers can sample their famous homemade steak pies or beer battered fish and chips, while enjoying a pint of ale from their own micro-brewery.
Unlike nearby Thieving Harry’s, Cerutti’s in Hull is no newcomer – having been based in their current premises for more than 40 years now. A firm favourite for fish lovers, Cerutti’s offers an a la carte menu, as well as “Monthly Specials”.
Thieving Harry’s, meanwhile, has been putting the fun into funky ever since opening its doors to the public in 2011 as a simple ‘pop-up’ café in an old warehouse in Hull’s former Fruit Market. Two pop-ups and a few years later, it has become a permanent fixture in The Marina, and combines “food and stuff” with some of the best views in Hull.
And there is plenty of evidence that it won’t end there. High-end fine-dining Indian restaurant Tapasya Restaurant & Bar, for example, has already gained a reputation as one of Yorkshire’s top 5 Indian restaurants, and now has plans to open another restaurant in The Marina during the build-up to Hull’s year as UK City of Culture.
To keep up to date with all Hull UK City of Culture developments, including programming plans and announcements it is now possible to sign up to receive the 2017 e-newsletter. Alternatively, follow Hull 2017 on Twitter (@2017hull), Facebook (Hull City of Culture), and keep in touch with its website athttp://hull2017.co.uk.