WHEN he played the Royal Concert Hall a couple of years back, singer-songwriter Paul Simon said it was great to be in Nottingham.
"I imagined what this place must look like many times as a boy," he said. Pause. "It looks different."
It's not the sort of line you could imagine the American music legend delivering in, say, Wolverhampton. And it's a reminder, in case we needed one, that our city occupies a unique place around the world.
The "we're not making enough of Robin Hood" debate is nearly as old as the legend itself. But now, the city and county are entering a time of great opportunity. Get it right and we could be taking advantage of Robin like never before.
The city council hit a roadblock last month when the Heritage Lottery Fund failed to select its £15 million bid for Nottingham. But they're rebidding in November. Meanwhile, Notts County Council has brought in a private group to create Discover Robin Hood, a £13 million Sherwood Forest attraction including interactive exhibits, an open-air theatre and an adventure playground.
To truly capitalise on Robin Hood the castle must be the city's historic and cultural linchpin, and Sherwood Forest must be an impressive tourist destination. We have the legend. Now we need the will.