Dawn O'Donoghue: I'd love for our city to return to the good old days and prosper again

Not so long ago, most people in our city lived the good life.

Not the welly-wearing, mud-slinging and chicken- rearing kind but busy, comfortable lives with a degree of normality.

Known for our fishing industry (nets often strung between houses in the terraces off Hessle Road) the community pulled together.

Barrow lads and fish house girls spent their hard-earned cash alongside the bobbers while the merchant fleet lived the high life for at least a couple of days before their lashing money ran out.

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Our port bustled, imports and exports were the dockers' delight and Friday nights saw a fry of fish (usually fresh, tasty skate – known as lips itch in my house) feeding the family.

Our industries were household names. Reckitt and Colman, Needlers, Metal Box and Birds Eye were sources of employment.

Jobs were easy to come by, money earned and quickly spent.

The whole economy thrived.

It's a different story today as another high street shopping chain bites the dust and more people find themselves facing unemployment.

Our economy is squeezed relentlessly as people find they don't have disposable income and the fight for survival (putting food on the table and holding on to the roof over your head) is more important than spending precious pounds on items we don't need.

This recession is global and the goalposts keep moving, but I can't help wondering if my personal predictions (written in this column) aren't coming true.

Years ago I warned of the dangers of "clone" cities, where you could predictably find that big toy store, DIY chain or Mexican restaurant.

I remember writing about the stupidity of filling our ancient city with shopping malls and relying on the same shops you can find anywhere in the country.

I suggested building Little Amsterdam (instead of Princes Quay) or Little Venice – tourist traps offering individual shops and unique cafés all located within the old docks but connected by little bridges.

This city was born on the River Hull. It nestles against the River Humber and yet, despite our long relationship with shipping and water, we have little evidence to suggest the personality of the place that is Kingston Upon Hull.

To add insult to injury I heard financial experts waxing lyrically on the TV last week about the death of cities and that the best course of action is to use a city's character and invest in boutique stores offering employment, encouraging spending and giving us hope.

The City Fathers didn't listen then and I doubt they'll listen now and so the concept of the "good life" here in our home town slips further away as even new investment (such as wind turbines) is pushed away by red tape, futile bureaucracy and a general lack of interest.

Maybe government officials are still enjoying a comfortable life and don't yet realise how many people out there are struggling just to live.

Bring back the good life to our region.

Make Kingston Upon Hull a good place to live again.