Why I'm backing Plymouth's City of Culture bid: Ash Mashhadi

“With the exception of the Theatre Royal and the natural beauty around the waterfront , compared to Exeter perhaps a more appropriate branding for Plymouth rather than Ocean City should read Stagnant Pond! Plimuthian Dave”

“Plymouth, the only city of it's size to close it's only small airport, tolerate such a badly run football team, fail to secure it's historic dockyard, devoid of a motorway and served by a laughable railway line. No wonder business goes to little Exeter when Plymouth's Labour council are too busy stuffing their noses in the trough and "rubbing the right's nose in diversity". City of Culture? Bring on UKIP.”

“Hi, I'm N O Seintrough, and I back Plymouth's COC bid.

I'm a small entrepreneur/struggling artist/general-public-body-gofer (delete or add your own) who believes that ratepayers money should not be wasted on those senile old Plymouth pensioner gits or the disabled and disadvantaged, but should be given to me and a host of other individuals so that we can show the world what a hip and happy place Plymouth is.

This much publicised "austerity" – often cited by our Labour party as being inflicted upon the people of Plymouth by the "fascist Tory/LibDem scum coalition", is, in fact, a figment of people's imagination – there's plenty of money around.

Let's show the rest of the world what a wonderful city Plymouth is – so content with itself – despite the outrageous reporting of its leading newspaper, the Herald.

One in five children are NOT living in poverty neither are 14,000 households experiencing fuel poverty – I don't know where these figures com from.

And this Pothole Pete – has he nothing better to do than show a very few slight pits in our magnificently maintained highways.

Come on, would we be using people's hard-earned cash on fripperies like City of Culture if things were that bad – just look at our thriving city centre, people are flocking there.

And for you moaning minnies out there who don't want to see what a wonderful, vibrant, progressive, diverse, and sustainable city Plymouth is – well, why don't you return to 1970s; flower beds and well swept streets are so yesterday – get with the programme Daddio.

And who the hell were Scott and Drake? And Beryl Cook and Joshua Reynolds – hardly Banksy, were they?

If you're looking for a Plymouth hero – just look at that young Tom Daley!

Anyway, I'm supporting Plymouth's bid for the City of Culture – and I just know that you'll be supporting me!”

“Hi, I'm N O Seintrough, and I back Plymouth's COC bid.

I'm a small entrepreneur/struggling artist/general-public-body-gofer (delete or add your own) who believes that ratepayers money should not be wasted on those senile old Plymouth pensioner gits or the disabled and disadvantaged, but should be given to me and a host of other individuals so that we can show the world what a hip and happy place Plymouth is.

This much publicised "austerity" – often cited by our Labour party as being inflicted upon the people of Plymouth by the "fascist Tory/LibDem scum coalition", is, in fact, a figment of people's imagination – there's plenty of money around.

Let's show the rest of the world what a wonderful city Plymouth is – so content with itself – despite the outrageous reporting of its leading newspaper, the Herald.

One in five children are NOT living in poverty neither are 14,000 households experiencing fuel poverty – I don't know where these figures com from.

And this Pothole Pete – has he nothing better to do than show a very few slight pits in our magnificently maintained highways.

Come on, would we be using people's hard-earned cash on fripperies like City of Culture if things were that bad – just look at our thriving city centre, people are flocking there.

And for you moaning minnies out there who don't want to see what a wonderful, vibrant, progressive, diverse, and sustainable city Plymouth is – well, why don't you return to 1970s; flower beds and well swept streets are so yesterday – get with the programme Daddio.

And who the hell were Scott and Drake? And Beryl Cook and Joshua Reynolds – hardly Banksy, were they?

If you're looking for a Plymouth hero – just look at that young Tom Daley!

Anyway, I'm supporting Plymouth's bid for the City of Culture – and I just know that you'll be supporting me!”

“'ere yoo lot - if you dunt like Plymuff "naff off" I say”

“NakedWithGoat thatll never happened this paper makes a habit of ignoring its readers views in favour of its own agenda....just look at all the tom daley coverage despite the majority saying again and again how sick of it they are.”

“Yep all the chavs and yobbo's make up a wonderful population lol.”

“@gdevans If the Herald gave me the right of reply in the form of an article similar to the trash they have been printing online and in the paper, I would gladly let you know why Plymouth isn't worth the title of City of Culture.”

“I have yet to hear a convincing argument why Plymouth should not bid for Culture status.


How about its a waste of time, of public money....both of which would be better spent improving city services and facilities for the benefit of us all, the only people who seem to be backing this bid are those who have there noses in the trough and will benefit from the entry in some way, the general public as seen by the MAJORITY of messages on these boards at best couldn't care less at worst think like myself.

I for one am sick of seeing `why im backing the bid` letters filling up the news section, like someone said below local media is meant to be provide a balanced opinion, not extreme bias towards one side of an argument.

Heres an idea thisisplymouth rather then printing letter after letter from local business owners or those who sit on cultural boards etc how about going out in the street and asking your everyday working class general public? I think youll find the enthusiasm your trying to force upon people is sorely lacking!”

“@NakedWithGoat - rather than just saying you would like to tell us why you're not supporting, please go ahead and write something to tell us. I won't be holding my breath waiting for your detailed, reasoned response.”