DELIGHTED councillor Eddie Collett will not have to use his sledgehammer after all!

Last July ,we reported how Eddie was prepared to take a sledgehammer to the derelict Coliseum coach station on the corner of Lytham Road and Tyldsley Road if it helped get rid of the eyesore.

Now, almost three years since Councillor Collett first called for it to be demolished, the Coliseum is to be knocked down and a superstore is to be built on the site.

Kwik Save hopes to open its fifth superstore in Blackpool in autumn this year, creating up to 35 jobs.

Councillor Collett said: "The Coliseum has been an eyesore for far too long now and it's a relief for us all that the site is being developed.

"I think it is symptomatic of a general improvement in the area - work on the promenade's infrastructure has reached us in South Shore and we have money for improvements to car park security.

"We are delighted something is being done at the Coliseum site - it looks like I won't be needing my sledgehammer after all!"

KWIK Save is the second new store to come to South Shore. Lidl UK is opening a discount foodstore on the old Magnet DIY site on Bloomfield Road next month (February). One of Europe's most successful food retailers, Lidl's discount operation began in the early 70s and they now have more than 2,500 stores in Europe. Regional director David Powell said: "We are very happy to opening a store in South Shore. Blackpool should be a good town for us."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.