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Actress Helen Noble's: My Liverpool Story

Born and raised in a village outside Wigan, it was only a half hour train ride to Liverpool. However, I knew very little of this city. As a teenager I hadn't heard particularly positive things about Liverpool. My parents were slightly terrified about me venturing into the working world in a place that was nationally reputed for the Toxteth riots in the eighties, renowned for street crime and poverty but what snobs we all were?! We were soon to be proved very wrong!

The first thing I fell in love with about Liverpool was its people. Never in the world will you meet such a character as a scouser! My first encounter was with a Mersey Cab driver who took me from Lime Street Station to the TV studios and persisted to chat to me about anything from what I'd eaten for breakfast to how much I'd charge to sell him some of my hair to cover his bald patch. I thought I'd just been fortunate to land a driver who was having a pretty good day but this warm, jovial personality is a distinctive trait in most true Liverpudlians.

After working at Mersey Television for nearly 12 months, I was sensing the urge to move to Liverpool. My friends from home were gradually moving away and I began to develop my own social circle here so I decided to rent a house with three other cast members in Aigburth. I soon adapted to living with friends and worked and played hard. I was earning decent money at the time but still chose to explore the student areas as they seemed to suit my style of partying! Concert Square was a frequent hangout for me - Tuesdays being a quieter option and Thursdays being truly memorable (or maybe not so memorable after the discounted cocktails!) but you can be guaranteed a great atmosphere here with a good choice of bars contained in one social square. One other thing that struck me was how secure I felt -security is in control and you can be assured you'll have a safe night out in the square.

It wasn't long before I invested and bought my own property in the area of South Liverpool. I love it here - this area is beautiful with its tree-lined streets and impressive parks such as Sefton Park and Calderstones. It has a village feel to it but is only a 10 minute drive from the city and has trendy Allerton Road and the bohemian-style Lark Lane where you can find a number of shops, restaurants and bars to entice you without having to journey to the centre. This area of Liverpool is also home to a number of University of Liverpool campuses and the area, although residential is buzzing with a friendly student atmosphere.

As I became settled here, I began to experience some of the more exclusive hangouts and enjoyed many a night out 'down the docks' with my fellow cast members. Baby Blue has always been a favourite of mine and I held my 21st Birthday Party at The Panamerican Club. Life as a young professional in this city is electric - never short of places to go and always an event to build up to. I was sad when my time at 'Hollyoaks' came to end as I was advised to move to London so I did just that. My leaving bash was held at the 'celebrity haven' that is Newz Bar and is still remembered as one of the best Mersey Television do's - well at least I went out with a bang!

After moving away I ended up working everywhere but London. I travelled abroad and toured all over the UK on theatre tours.

So yes - you guessed it - I'm back! And what better way to fuel my passion than to write about 'My Liverpool'. As a jobbing actress, it's so easy to commute to London when I need to on the regular, direct trains from Lime Street. Since my return, I have also launched the Paul Nicholas School of Acting (along with Sarah Jayne Dunn and Graham Tudor) and the kids are a delight to work with and shed a positive light on a generation that is sometimes frowned upon in this city.

Over the last eight years Liverpool has blossomed before my eyes and is constantly redeveloping as we speak. I was thrilled to hear the city had been awarded Capital of Culture 08 and I think this is just what it needed not only to gain international acclaim but to open the nation's hearts to a northern gem. Let us forget its turbulent past and focus on its bright future - I am only too proud to call Liverpool home and will do my utmost best to promote it!