A SOAP opera set in Morecambe, a local version of Question Time and Shrimps games live could be beamed into front rooms across the globe.

That's the £50 million dream of entrepreneur Clive Richardson as he works on a unique business plan to establish Morecambe Bay Community Television (mbc-tv).

His idea would see Morecambe Bay programmes, news and entertainment televised from the resort's famous Winter Gardens.

Mr Richardson, of Cumberland View, came up with the notion of Morecambe's own digital TV channel after returning from tourism and regeneration projects in far-flung corners of the world to look after his sick mother.

Sadly, his mother passed away recently, but Mr Richardson says he intends to stay in the area to renovate the Winter Gardens as a 'live' performance venue in a different way with the help of new media.

"The Victoria Pavilion gets a lot of attention from the public and could stimulate regeneration - but there is no feasibility in traditional theatre," says Mr Richardson.

"I kept thinking about the building and what could be done with it to keep the cash flowing in the long term. I do not believe it could do solely as a theatre."

He says in its heyday, the grade two listed theatre was a focal point of the community and attracted droves of people to performances, but times have changed.

"Having a cable company operating out of the building, housing a TV studio, production team and news rooms would bring the theatre into the modern era.

"There could be a programme like Question Time with local councillors and MPs discussing community issues with residents, a news room with live stories from the area and Morecambe could even have its very own soap opera - Westenders.

"TV is a dominant pastime and having a cable channel for Morecambe may encourage youngsters to get involved in local issues and would mean older people who cannot get out can still be in touch with what is happening in the area."

Evelyn Archer, chair of the Friends of the Winter Gardens, says the group is open to ideas for the use of the building and the plan could be feasible.

And Cllr Ron Sands, Lancaster City Council's Cabinet member for tourism and arts, describes the scheme as 'ground-breaking'.

"I have talked to Mr Richardson in some depth about it and I think it sounds very exciting and would take Morecambe and Lancaster into the 21st Century."

A business plan has been sent to cable companies, newsgroups and Merchant Bankers in a bid to raise cash for the project.