Why I'm backing the Plymouth City of Culture bid: James Brent

I am 100 per cent behind the bid to be City of Culture 2017.

It is taking the city towards Mayflower 2020 when we celebrate our great maritime history and the part Plymouth played in the founding of modern America.

I think we are making great strides as a city to obtaining the mantel of leisure and sporting capital of the South West. The Life Centre is a stunning asset and it is getting huge footfall. It is not just Olympic divers which get to use world class facilities – it is now available to the whole of Plymouth.

The Theatre Royal is one of the highest quality venues outside of London with brilliant productions and is going through a great facelift.

And with Home Park and the Pavilions undergoing similar improvements we have a pretty good base to build on, so by 2017 we will be ready to host national celebrations throughout the year.

If you look at The Herald's Greatest Janner Competition, two out of the top three – Tom Daley and Chris Webb, Argyle president – are young people. People complain that the city's youth are not coming through but the competition proves that we have a talented future emerging.