Bringing back the punks

Attendances were down for last year's festival in Blackpool, which also attracted an unwelcome neo-Nazi element, and the organisers are considering bringing it back to Morecambe.

The punks are currently in talks with the council and the hoteliers were invited to get involved at a special meeting on Monday.

"It was a very positive and useful meeting," said Independent leader and Morecambe councillor, Tricia Heath.

"We're talking with the punks in a bid to bring them back to Morecambe and we've invited the hoteliers to get involved.

We're looking to improve existing festivals and also improve the ones we've got.

Ideally we'd like an event going on in the resort every weekend during the summer.

The Council has a strong commitment to tourism and to Morecambe as a resort, but we can always learn and improve by talking to businesses and by working together in a positive manner."

Early indications are that this season has seen certain sectors experience a drop in staying visitors while coaching hotels and caravan parks have reported an improvement.

At the meeting it was also agreed that the council Cabinet and the Morecambe Hotel and Tourism Association (MHTA) should have regular discussions.

" It was a frank but fair discussion," said Jim Catterall of the MHTA.

"We'd like to see the punk festival come back and also the pool championships which both attract overnight stays.

The meeting was very useful and basically helps us all sing from the same hymn sheet in promoting Morecambe as a resort.

We're getting mixed messages from visitors.

"A lot of people say they like the promenade and Happy Mount Park but they say that there's nothing to do from 7.30pm - the town goes to sleep - especially during the week.

"Our greatest fear is that, if we struggle to get the required occupancy rates, then the good hotels and guest houses we have here in Morecambe may have to down grade.

But on the whole we' re positive about the future."