I've posted on this for years - I can't believe the council have spent so much time ruining the city really - it's a combination of ineptness, small mindedness and incompetence I'd say.
I remember going to San Francisco, where they make use of their waterfront, and there was a 5 mile long path right next to the water that everybody can use, with individual shops, excellent bars and cafes and a great culture. When I returned to Southampton to watch the Saints 2 days later, I was stunned to see the new (then) useless lump of tin called Leisure World plonked next to the water, with aa high fence so you can't see anything.
I'll always love the place, as I'm born and bred there, but having traveled around the world, I feel fairly qualified to say that it's a place with tonnes of natural potential and ****e implementation