As a youngster in school, I used to look at the map on the back of my excersise book and make comparisons with other cities in the UK, I would also take an intersest in all major planning applications for the city and surrounding area. Over the years I've seen hundreds of things fail to come to fruition, or been lost when we already had them. For example here are just a few that spring to mind: Exhibition centre, lost. Grand prix boat racing ,lost. Shipwreck centre, lost. ATA metro, lost. numerous other transport schemes lost. Centre for the performing arts, lost. numerous arena plans down the drain. Ring road never completed. Stadiums held up/lost. International/ large swimming pool, 50 years to build. Ice rink lost. I'm sure there are many more.
And that's not to mention our second/third/fourth rate sporting representatives.
I love my city and will fight for it. I want my city to be better, I don't want a collective of mediocre things, which I admit do make for a very good city compared to others, I want top quality things for my city as well. Instead we get a Mayor who's doing his best for all the minority groups while ignoring the masses, a Mayor who's concentrating on stopping car use and bringing in a congestion charge, in some sort of attempt to quell those commuting into the city. Installing RPZs (paid parking zones). Instead of decent transport we have, the promotion of cycling, which might suit those in the flatlands of central Bristol but, does nothing for the people living within the boundaries up the hill and miles away, those who struggle to commute through or around the city because of the restrictions imposed on road use in the last decade and before.
Not massively negative, just totally peed right off with it all.