Hull and it’s reputation: A brief post-riot view

The relationship I have with my city has been tumultuous from an early age. I grew up hyper aware of how other people saw Hull, a rather grey, cold and sad area (words given to me by my flatmates when I asked them to describe it - along with ‘fish’ and ‘smell’). You were used to snide comments being made about town, but deep down we would defend any insults made about our ‘ull. From the outside, it’s reputation was a crime riddled, impoverished, industrial landscape and unfortunately, the media reported stories that only supported this idea.

Hull ranked as the fourth most deprived local authority in England in 2023 and, more recently, experienced the horrific riots stemming from far-right protesters. Our highstreet was partially destroyed, and the conflicts left the city ashamed and in shambles. It pit neighbours against each other, for those who got swept up in the online hatred and violence suddenly turned into characters we didn't recognise. People as young as fifteen appeared in court over the Hull riots, some who I recognised as classmates.

In this sense, Hull’s reputation as dangerous and unsafe seems correct, but many didn't see the otherside. The day after the riots, citizens came together and cleaned up the rubble, sent gifts to police officers who had been protecting the streets and scoured social media to find the offenders involved in the riots. This was the Hull I knew, good people doing good things to help the city they love. 

Many impoverished cities come mis/under-represented in the media due to underrepresentation in the news rooms. According to Dazed, 84% of reporters and 73 percent of editors come from a higher class background, which tells you enough about the  point of view the media can have about lower class areas. Whilst the Hull riot coverage was obviously well reasoned, organisations miraculously forgot to report the golden hearts of the city's people who were trying to distinguish themselves from those who played with fire and hate.

As I grow older, the reputation of my home city grows further and further from my mind as I know that what others think doesn’t matter. The unattractive architecture and crime statistics are by the by, but I wouldn't say it justifies Hull’s ‘down the drain’ reputation (again, a comment from a flatmate). A city's reputation should focus on the people who make up its population, the ones who clean it up and care, our friends on every street.