I READ with interest the on-going controversy generated by Cllr Guy Harkin's suggestion that we might restore the full title of our fair town to "Bolton-le-Moors".

Anyone who has worked in London will know only too well that old perceptions about "life up North" die hard. Jokes about grimy factories, flat caps and clogs still abound.

Some correspondents seem to regard such comments as harmless fun. And, up to a point, they are. But what if you were a foreign industrialist and wanted to locate a modern factory somewhere in the North of England? Earning a reputation as a town with its best years behind it is hardly likely to pull in new jobs and investment.

Both Salford and Manchester have recently appointed senior marketing specialists to give their image a "make-over". Leeds has done something similar and is now commonly perceived as a smart, cosmopolitan city with lucrative new industries flocking in to the city.

"Rebranding" is more common than many people seem to realise. Hyndburn Borough Council in east Lancashire held a referendum three years ago on changing the name of the borough to "Accrington & District" so that more people would recognise where it was! Plain old Blackburn Council became "Blackburn-with-Darwen" in 1996, and was last year crowned "Council of the Year". Our brand is important and we are not alone in wanting to put our best foot forward.

Fred Dibnah is right that we should remember our history; but that is not the same as being chained to it, forever destined to drag it around with us.

Bolton is a town with a great history and a lot going for it, but we need to be known for more than the Industrial Revolution and a few lippy television presenters.

So, hats off to Guy Harkin. He has kicked off this important debate at the very least.

Kevin Meagher

Hereford Crescent

Little Lever

Bolton