DOES Council Leader Stanley Henig's egotism know no bounds? Last week's letter about how he successfully transformed Morecambe into a premier holiday resort was astounding.

Apart from having the front to claim credit for the magnificent views across the Bay (which have been tastefully enhanced by lovely £6 a day parking bays) he sounds as if he's in danger of actually believing his own hype.

Allow me to look at Morecambe's "renaissance" from a different perspective:

1Much of the resort's regeneration consists of a fairly typical out-of-town shopping and leisure development built next to the coast. Go to any sizable town these days and you see one virtually the same. 2Salt Ayre's facilities are great but most towns and cities had a decent leisure centre and swimming pool about 15 years ago. At last we've caught up!

3Give me tens of thousands of pounds of public cash to put on free entertainment, live music, a beer tent and fireworks round at my house and I'll guarantee you an audience of thousands!

4Most importantly, scratch Morecambe's surface and witness social and economic problems comparable to the worst inner city.

No amount of gloss or spin doctoring will cover up the fact that Morecambe has had a terrible deal from the city council for decades. Things are better but that's because they couldn't have got any worse. I'm sure the electorate would appreciate a little less pompous self-congratulation from our glorious leaders and more getting to grips with real life.

Mr Hindle,

St Chads Drive,

Lancaster.

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