NO, I don't believe that Blackpool would uplift its image, especially in the eyes of families, by becoming a rich customer's Las Vegas.

The resort should concentrate on upgrading its recent tacky image.

Blackpool should push for further European funds to clean the sea and the shore line up!

Following the Second World War, Wakes Week holiday fun began on the Friday night when we packed our cases.

Were our swimming costumes and beach towels packed? Had we remembered our colourful buckets and spades?

Had all our weeks requirements been ticked off in readiness for Saturday morning's memorable steam engine journey to the Fylde? Fathers placed pound notes and 10 shilling notes in their wallets to see the landladies right.

Some remaining monies would pay for the family boat trips, for pier, Pleasure Beach and Tower.

Around 7am on Saturday morning we arose and in an hour or two we would be Blackpool bound.

Before we left our hometown railway stations we usually bought chocolate to last the journey.

We had earlier tucked into a feast of toast, bacon, egg and fried bread.

How nice if our carriages were hauled by a named engine like 'The Duchess of Hamilton'.

By adjusting carriage window straps some children trailed paper ended cottons along the carriages, but it wasn't an uncommon occurrence to get soot or ashes in ones eyes.

We would count every station we passed on our annual journey, and as we neared Blackpool cries of 'I've seen the Tower' went up! The grand sight was a bonus.

We alighted on a teeming Blackpool Railway station.

All we needed now was the willpower to drag our packed cases to our digs.

We were warmly welcomed by our hosts, the boarding house landladies.

We planned coach trips out through the week and we spent huge sums at the Pleasure Beach. We also watched an Icedrome Spectacular.

We gradually did away with morning paddling, sometimes all the hirable 'deck-chairs' were booked out, sometimes we enjoyed the Tower Dancing, the Tower Circus, the aquarium and the Tower Children's Ballet.

We searched for seaweed, shells, souvenirs and bundles of coloured Blackpool Rock to bring home.

Each morning before breakfast we bought sweets, pop and newspapers from the newsagents. Getting the papers was a ritual!

Some dads liked an occasional bet on the horses and champions like Darius, Sugar-bowl, and Tulyar sometimes increased our spending money. In those days, Willie Nevett, Edward Hide, Joseph Sime, Edgar Britt and Charlie Smirke were great jockeys.

We had lots to discuss as we wended our way home. I for one wouldn't like to see Blackpool as another Las Vegas.

K Lucas

Park Road

Hindley