I HAVE been keeping up-to-date with news from my home town through your excellent publication's web page.

The idea of turning Blackpool into a casino resort sounds wonderful. I was brought up in a hotel on Wellington Road and I also owned the Capri Grill on Squires Gate Lane.

I know the business we lost when the Lemon Tree casino closed down and it was not inconsiderable. As to those afraid of tarnishing Blackpool's family image -- please don't worry.

I have seen the kind of mega-casinos which have sprung up all over South Africa since the relaxation of the gaming laws (note, relaxation not complete anarchy).

If the casinos follow the same lines as the ones here (Sun City, Wild Coast Sun, MonteCasino among others) with gambling in one place (strictly controlled to over 18s), kiddies rides and playgound elsewhere, entertainment and restaurants, then there should be no problem.

On the contrary, those wishing to gamble are very likely to want to stay in the town and spend some of their winnings (they hope) in the businesses around them.

No-one wants to spend all day every day in the casino -- well almost no-one and so there should be an enormous spin off even if the casinos open their own hotels.

Blackpool was always a forerunner of entertainment trends and maybe it should be again. Oh yes, and stop worrying about bad taste -- that is what Blackpool does best after all.

Philip Knagg, Lombardy East, Johannesburg, South Africa.