Kingston upon Hull, a busy port at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber Estuary has acted as the gateway to the heart of England since Roman times.

The original town of Hull was conceived after King Edward I (1272-1307) decided he needed a secure port from which to supply his armies who were fighting the Scots. This haven on the River Hull fitted the role perfectly, as well as having a flourishing import/export trade.
Hull and its surrounding area is a thriving dynamic location in which to live and work. The city of Hull is undergoing significant changes, which are enhancing facilities in all parts of city life and attracting people to the area from across the region and the UK.

With the aim of becoming a top 10 city, Hull offers an excellent quality of life. Housing choices are extensive, but affordable, ranging from waterfront city apartments to large rural retreats. Hull has many major national and international companies, across all sectors, offering various career opportunities and there are a huge variety of ways to spend your leisure time, from rock concerts at the Kingston Communications Stadium to rock climbing in the surrounding Yorkshire Dales

The City of Hull is large and busy, shopping is made easy with a compact layout, car parking facilities and traffic-free streets, which are also the setting for live open-air entertainment during the spring and summer. One of the country's most exciting and scenic shopping centres is the impressive, glass-covered Princes Quay, which literally rose from the water to hover above Prince's Dock. As the area's largest shopping centre, it cleverly links the old and new parts of the town, leading to the heart of this historic city with sweeping views of the rejuvenated docklands.

Hull now has an award-winning yacht Marina with over 300 berths. Moored in the Marina is the former Spurn Lightship, now open to the public. This vessel was restored by the City Council after it had served 50 years as a navigation aid at the mouth of the Humber.

Hull has many fascinating Museums, displaying the area's archaeology and natural history.

Sports enthusiasts will find most of their favourites represented in and around Hull, which is the UK headquarters of baseball. Rugby League is represented with two first class teams, there is professional soccer, cricket, golf, angling, power-boat racing and sailing. There are various indoor leisure pursuits including Northern England's first Olympic standard Ice Arena.