IT IS hard to tell whether ex-tourism officer, now Labour councillor, Ron Sands is gamekeeper turned poacher or vice-versa!

Having had his creativity and enthusiasm perhaps frustrated under a string of 'directors of regeneration', is he now resorting to the press (Letters, last week) because he fares no better under leader Cllr Barker? Cynics might even think his letter was a plug for the Happy Mount Caf.

That said, I cannot follow his argument for not selling beer at Morecambe festivals. He says he enjoys the Edinburgh festival, where George Street and Haymarket abound with bars, so why make people risk crossing the road for a drink at our event?

There is an obvious need to invigorate and co-ordinate the entertainment offerings of Morecambe.

The Dome, the Platform and outside events in both Morecambe and Lancaster should have a single experienced manager and, having appointed such a person, he should be given a budget and then allowed to do his job without interference from ageing councillors! That would not prevent him receiving suggestions.

My suggestions would be, firstly, to make more use of the shopping arcades in both centres for 'outside' events. Why make dancers shiver in the drizzle in Market Square when St Nicholas' Arcades is available.

The next, would be to publish a list of all council entertainment, for two months ahead and post it throughout the district - at least 100 boards at eye level.

As for making children love Morecambe, the biggest child attraction - the cleverly-designed super swimming stadium - was wrecked 30 years ago. But messing about in water and sand is what children want, and what parents enjoy seeing them doing, hence the popularity of the paddling pool.

Any crowd drawing feature must have car parking. There is still undeveloped land between Happy Mount Park, the golf course, the railway, and even beyond the railway towards Hest Bank and the canal. The railway, or a narrow gauge line alongside, could shuttle visitors between a large and well-hidden car park and the centre of Morecambe. The site could be developed over time: - sand and sand hills, pools, roundabouts, indoor pools, and so on.

Mike Jackson, Peacock Lane, Lancaster.