THE future of Blackpool Illuminations may still be in the dark, but there is light at the end of the tunnel say council officials.

Following revelations this week (October 6-12) that part of the Lights could be re-homed in Stanley Park (pictured), along with a pop concert and an admission charge, director of community services Richard Nulty stressed it was just one thought from a melting pot of ideas.

"The council has set up a special sub-committee to address this issue," he said. "And Stanley Park is just one of them. The members are chewing over a whole range of ideas to increase the income from the Lights, make them different and perhaps move them about or change them

"It's a fact of life that somebody has to pay for them -- whether it be the residents through council tax, businesses or the users themselves. And charging an admission is something that we are looking into. "It's an issue that gets raised about every five years but we are trying to be a bit more inventive with our funding ideas, such as the introduction of a souvenir brochure, but tolling the road would be the easiest.

"Unfortunately it's against the law at the moment, and as the Promenade is an A road with about 64 junctions it would not be very easy. Also we could be charged with highway robbery, and I don't know if that's still a hanging offence!"

Chairman of the policy review committee, Coun Philip Dunne, added: "Stanley Park is just one of many, many suggestions we are discussing to maximise income from the lights.

"We are also looking at doing something with the Solarium, tolling the roads, new technology such as interactive exhibits, robots and sound, vision and water features and concerts.

"No idea can be discounted and all proposals will then be discussed with our finance director. Then we will hold a public meeting which we hope will include the accommodation sector of the business community in particular. But all this is two, three, maybe four months down the road."