Stop this negativity about our great city of Wolverhampton

As someone who has worked in the city centre for the best part of a decade, I have had my fill of the negativity.

It would appear that no matter what is done to improve the city centre it is never good enough.

Yes, it is taking me an extra 10 minutes to drive out of the city due to the major tram works, but we just need to deal with it.

It may be several months of disruption but at the end of it we will have a joined-up transport system.

You can’t make progress without some disruption or shall we just summon the Star Ship Enterprise to lower the new tram track in one easy swoop?

I would question if progress could be made quicker but it all comes down to budget.

If businesses are being affected badly then that is something that needs to be addressed.

However, putting the traffic aside for one minute my latest disbelief is the negativity surrounding the brand new outdoor market.

Of course there will be teething problems but isn’t this the case for all new projects?

Yes, it needs more traders, but to quote Kevin Costner (if you’ve seen Field of Dreams) “If You Build It, They Will Come”!

The council has built it and now people ARE coming. I really hope more traders will come when they see the analysis of the footfall.

As I drove into work on Tuesday morning (past the market) I honestly thought there was a Wolves match on.

The town was alive and awash with people and it was because of that market.

I have purposefully gone into town every day this week and, although I don’t have any official stats, it does appear to be busier.

I will hold back from using the word thriving, but it is going in the right direction, let’s give praise where praise is due.

So, what are the main bugbears? It would appear that the design is Marmite.

To my mind it has a funky blue and white colour scheme and the use of strategically placed shipping containers looks fantastic.

One comment from the Express & Star online reads “Looks very Cold War, East Berlin!”, now forgive me as I don’t have a massive knowledge on the Cold War, but no amount of Googling can return a picture of vibrant blue and white shipping containers in East Berlin. It also didn’t look like people were trying to flee to the west side of the market.

When I had a walk round everyone was smiling, and I would go as far as saying proud. Proud to have an urban, modern environment for let’s face it our urban city.

I know this is a moan about the moaners but let’s get some positivity flowing.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and although I would agree there are some issues, Wolverhampton is looking better year on year.

To all the people who knock Wolverhampton, I appeal to you; come and spend an hour in the city. Visit the Theatre, The Art Gallery, the newly refurbished shopping centre, have lunch in one of the independent cafés or stay for a drink in our new trendy bars and get the tram home!

• Vicky Price is associate director of development and communications for the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton