PLANS to light up the Millennium with special Blackpool Illuminations will leave North Shore in the dark, say hoteliers.

Blackpool's Millennium sub-committee plans to make this the longest season in the resort's history with custom-made celebratory Illuminations shining out along central promenade throughout December.

South Shore is also covered as the committee wants to leave the normal illuminations up between the Pleasure Beach and Central Pier, lit every December weekend and all over Christmas and New Year. But North Shore businesses are asking why they should be left in the shade - council officers advised that North Shore's lights were more vulnerable to the winter weather.

Elaine Hodgin , of the Blackpool Private Hotels Association, said: "We think its a great idea to extend the Illuminations to the Millennium. It will bring a lot of trade to the town, but we are concerned about North Shore being missed out.

"It doesn't seem fair when the rest of the front is lit up for North Shore to be in darkness. There are a great many hotels and businesses there.

"We're not saying they should leave up the big tableaux, just the overhead festoons along the roadway."

Millennium chairman Coun Stan Hill told her they would have further consultations about North Shore, which she hoped would be fruitful.

Some holiday traders argue for the lights to be extended every year, but Erwin Belsky, chairman of the Blackpool Combined Association representing 1,000 shopkeepers, hoteliers and businesses, advised caution.

"We don't want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg," he said. "Perhaps weekends in December would be a good idea to boost the shopping period, but I don't think it would be right to run them right through.

"We all rely on the lights to make our profits because it's the only time we can get a tariff to make a bit of money."

Some promenade hotels this week were charging as little as £12 a night.

But whether the Millennium lights are a one-off or not, Blackpool tourism chairman Coun Roy Lewis says the resort is determined to make its mark for the Year 2000.

"We intend to make an impact on what will be a momentous occasion across the world," he said, "and what better way than by lighting up Britain's most popular promenade with one of the country's most famous attractions."

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