The Hull Story Year: 2023
A round-up of our top stories from 2023, by Co-Editor Simon Bristow
JANUARY
A month of milestones, when Everything But The Girl, the globally successful pop duo named after a Hull shop, announced their first studio album in 24 years – Fuse. It was also the month that Hull’s Lioness Carol Thomas BEM was granted the Freedom of the City. A time of celebration too for Hull’s ‘Print Meister’ Carl Morton, pictured, as his company Scribes marked 30 years in business. It was also revealed that more than 9,000 people had called a city council helpline over the cost of living crisis since its launch five months earlier.
FEBRUARY
Good news on the arts and jobs front. We revealed Hull’s newest arts festival, The Awakening, would return after attracting more than 100,000 people to the city centre on its first outing last year. We also reported on a hospitality sales boom at the Bonus Arena, with sales doubling since the pandemic, while Siemens Gamesa looked to fill 300 new jobs at Alexandra Dock. Hull City’s Turkish midfielder Ozan Tufan, pictured, also spoke bravely of his heartache at the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
MARCH
We were the first to report the shock resignation of Aneesa Akbar from Hull City Council. Hull FC and Hull KR joined the White Ribbon campaign to end violence against women and girls, with both sides wearing the campaign emblem at the Good Friday derby. Spurn Lightship returned to Hull Marina after a 14-month restoration as part of the Hull Maritime project, and arts columnist Vicky Foster reviewed The Awakening, pictured, saying ‘It felt like a meditation with the pagan guardians of spring’.
APRIL
Ideal Heating unveiled plans for a £10m research and development centre at its headquarters in Hull. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey told us his party could win again in Hull ‘because they’ve listened’. We took an in-depth look at how the Jean Bishop Centre, pictured, is continuing to transform care for the elderly on its fifth anniversary. And Humberside Police Chief Constable Lee Freeman KPM announced he was stepping down, having taken the force from special measures to being ranked the best in England and Wales during his six-year tenure.
MAY
Hull’s Lib Dems, pictured, strengthened their grip on the city council in the Local Elections, proving party leader Sir Ed Davey right. Presenter Carl Wheatley said BBC cuts were ‘killing local radio’. Chris Long, head of the trust running Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, announced his retirement from the NHS. And we revealed that former city councillor Ryan Langley had been charged with child sex offences. He would later be jailed for three years.
JUNE
A month of music, politics and history. Local history columnist Angus Young wrote a fascinating feature on the rise and fall of Hull shipping tycoon Sir Walter Cockerline. Hull (and Bridlington) band Agent Starling won Best World Music Album for Clandestine. Music legend Jah Wobble, pictured, gave a wide-ranging and candid interview to music columnist Russ Litten. And devolution for Hull and the East Riding was back on the table as both councils confirmed talks with Government over a combined authority led by an elected mayor.
JULY
Rugby legend Clive Sullivan was celebrated in a new exhibition at Hull’s Streetlife Museum. Hull’s Falklands veterans were granted the Freedom of the City. Humber Street Sesh announced plans to cut its carbon emissions by 90 per cent. Paul Anderson was confirmed as the new Chief Constable of Humberside Police. Thousands attended Hull Pride. And Hull schoolboy Feranmi Adesina, pictured, won a national award after reading a million words in an academic year. ‘I’ve astonished myself at this point’, he said.
AUGUST
The Bonus Arena was rebranded as Connexin Live. Angus Young revealed Labour’s Sarah Harper-Riches was being disqualified from being a councillor after failing to attend a council meeting for six months. There was fresh tragedy for Christopher Alder’s family after an inquest revealed his brother Stephen collapsed and died on the 24th anniversary of Christopher’s death in police custody. Hospitals chief Chris Long said he would miss Hull and his ‘inspirational colleagues’ in an exclusive interview ahead of his retirement. And a photography exhibition on Ukraine, pictured, featuring some of the world’s leading war photographers went on display at the University of Hull.
SEPTEMBER
The life of ‘forgotten’ 1920s Hull film star Dorothy Mackaill, pictured, was celebrated in a new musical. Labour’s Sharon Hofman won the Bricknell by-election. New drone pictures, courtesy of Andy Medcalf Photography, gave fresh perspectives of Isis Oil Mills, one of the city’s industrial landmarks. And the city council gave £50,000 to local food banks as demand rose amid the worsening cost of living crisis.
OCTOBER
It wouldn’t be October without Hull Fair, pictured, and this was its 729th year. Another twist in the devolution story as city council leader Mike Ross told us he was unconvinced by the mayor-led model. Then Anne Handley, his counterpart at East Riding Council, said she believed it was still the best way forward. It was announced that the operation of Hull’s bus lane restrictions would change from all day to peak hours only. Also on transport, Hull Trains was named the UK’s most reliable operator by a national regulator.
NOVEMBER
Humber Freeport approved £25m of investment to drive green economic growth. Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison secured £500,000 of funding to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour on Orchard Park. A new location for a cruise ship terminal in Hull was revealed as part of proposals for the development of West Docklands. Hundreds gathered at Hull’s Cenotaph to pay their respects to the fallen on Remembrance Sunday. And Angus Young wrote a compelling piece about the Ross Cleveland (pictured) tragedy fifty-five years after the public inquiry into the trawler’s sinking.
DECEMBER
A hugely significant month for everyone connected with The Hull Story with the launch of our new free newspaper, pictured. Thank you to all our readers, partners, contributors and supporters, not least our Patrons, who support our continued operation and development. Please consider joining them to help us build a new media platform for our great city. It costs just £2.50 a month. You can find out more and sign up here.