Martel Maxwell, newspaper columnist, TV and radio presenterBack to Dundee Ambassadors

Martel is a freelance journalist and columnist for The Sun. Her debut novel, Scandalous is set in Dundee.

Dundee is simply the best. These days I split my time between London and Scotland but nothing beats the feeling of going back to Dundee. I have such a sense of nostalgia for my hometown. One time when I'd been in London for ages I burst into tears as I caught my first glimpse of the city as the train made its way across the Tay Bridge.

Dundee's more vibrant than ever. Over the years the shopping in the city has really improved. I love trawling the Overgate and city centre shops when I'm home. There's a great social scene in the city too with trendy bars, quality restaurants and a buzzing nightlife. One of my favourites is 25 on Tay Street where you can sit on the sofa in front of the roaring fire. It's the perfect place to sit and read the Sunday papers. Bliss! For dinner my family and I always go back to Anatolia's Turkish restaurant where you can feast on meat and bring your own bottle - and there's no place better to finish the night with a boogie in Fat Sams.

We're not just on the map, we are shaping the music scene of Scotland and the UK. There is so much Dundee-grown talent like The View, The Law and Luva Anna. It attracts big names too, like Paul Weller and Paolo Nutini. My other great love is Dundee Football Club.  And where else would you find two opposing teams on the same stretch of road?

We are tremendously lucky to be on the River Tay so why not make the most of it? The whole of the riverfront and docklands could look better and offer more. I'd love to see lovely hotels and cafes, restaurants and pretty little shops making it feel buzzy and exciting. It would have to be planned well, not with monstrous big buildings but aesthetically beautiful, making you feel you'd reached an amazing destination as soon as you see our city for the first time.

I'm thrilled that the V&A is coming to Dundee. I'm delighted the docks have been chosen as the location, as visitors will see first hand the beauty of the Tay. It's great for everyone in Dundee, especially school children. They're bound to have so much fun on days out to the museum, and of course, they'll learn plenty too! The assumption might be that Glasgow or particularly Edinburgh would have landed this project but Dundee is an inspired choice. We are so centrally located within Scotland and this is what we need to bring people to Dundee who might normally not come. The huge investment shows a confidence in our amazing city that every Dundonian should feel.

Dundee has been such an inspiration to me over the years. Particularly for my debut novel which features Dundee a lot! It must be the first showbiz book in which the main characters are Dundonian.

The future for Dundee has never been brighter. We have to remember our history to keep our identity - jute, jam and journalism and The Discovery - but be ambitious for the future too. I love the fact that people all over the world read about characters like Desperate Dan and the Bash Street kids, which were created in Dundee. On top of that, I'm extremely proud of our reputation within the computer industry. We are one of the most respected computer and gaming hubs in Europe. We should shout louder about this. We must make sure our city looks its best, to be daring and adventurous with plans while remaining true to our roots.

Dundonians should be proud that we quietly rock! Dundee's always been great but now we're on the up - there's no stopping us. Dundonians are consistently voted the friendliest in Scotland and we definitely have a language and humour all of our own. It's something we should be proud of!