IT has long been seen by many as having a rundown image and has suffered from high teenage pregnancy rates, but Dundee is reinventing itself – and it wants the residents of Glasgow and Edinburgh to move there.
The city, home to comics The Dandy and The Beano, has launched a new campaign to highlight the transformation taking place, such as the £1 bil-lion waterfront redevelopment and the planned new V&A centre of design.
The council hopes to convince those in Scotland's two biggest cities Dundee is "a better place to live, work, study and invest".
The campaign, part of Dundee's One City Many Discoveries initiative, will include radio, print, online and outdoor advertising across Scotland.
Stan Ure, head of economic development at Dundee City Council, said: "Dundee is a city with vision and aspiration. Some of the biggest investment projects in its history are under way as we invest in the city's long-term success and prosperity.
"One thing our businesses tell us is there are issues about getting the right talent. They are concerned some people who could take highly-skilled jobs say to them 'What does Dundee have to offer?'. So we want to show people things they might not know about Dundee."
Mr Ure highlighted the city's lower cost of living, its "enviable climate" and the benefits of its smaller size. He said: "We are big enough to rate as a city but small enough that everyone works extraordinarily well together.
"There's world-class activity, particularly in our universities, and that's translating into real jobs, particularly in life sciences and computer games. This is a young city and there are lots of things for young people to do, such as a thriving band scene."
The waterfront redevelopment is expected to create 10,000 jobs and the main railway station is undergoing a £14 million redevelopment. The city is also positioning itself to benefit from the growth in the renewables sector, with a £90m investment in Dundee Port.
Television presenter Lorraine Kelly, who has lived in the Dundee area since the 1980s, said: "The city centre is going to look amazing. The V&A development looks incredible. It's really going to revitalise Dundee. It's like when people go to Spain to go to [the Guggenheim at] Bilbao; they'll come here to see this."
She pointed out Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen were within easy reach and the hinterland of Angus was beautiful.
She added: "Dundee's location is fantastic; it's extraordinary, no matter how you approach it. My heart leaps as soon as I see the bridges. A lot of people who criticise it have never been there."
A Glasgow City Council spokesman pointed to the city's "unrivalled mix of opportunities in the economy, education, culture, leisure and retail, excellent transport links and massive regeneration".
He added: "We wish Dundee well, but we fully anticipate people will vote with their feet and stay put when they weigh up what is on offer in Glasgow."
City of Edinburgh council leader Jenny Dawe said: "We are more than happy to work with Dundee to complement each city's cultural offering and to maximise potential in areas such as renewable energy. Working collaboratively will deliver a greater return for both Edinburgh and Dundee and, in turn, for the rest of Scotland.
"Edinburgh offers its residents prosperity, opportunities and a quality of life second to none."
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