Boozers' sanctuary or upmarket cafe?

HAS the Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters, been on a foreign mission in some remote spot way beyond communication with his diocese?

One would be forgiven for thinking so after his plea the other day for the old Pavilions buildings in Church Street in town-centre Blackburn to be transformed into a haven for drunks and drug addicts.

Turning the problem properties into a drop-in centre for junkies and alcoholics might, of course, do a little to spare the adjoining grounds of his Cathedral from unofficially performing the same function at present -- when the nuisance they create there is so bad that only months ago its clergy called for the Cathedral Close to be fenced off and locked at night.

But is the Bishop's idea of creating a bolthole right for the anti-social element right next door going to benefit Blackburn town-centre, its reputation or the Cathedral?

For he seems to have forgotten or not heard of the Cathedral clergy's concerns over worshippers being intimidated by belligerent boozers -- a factor that helped to stop planning consent for a new bar by one of the entrances to the Close and lay behind their opposition to plans for a nightspot in nearby Darwen Street.

Yet, in support of his call for the Pavilions to become a sanctuary for drink and drug abusers rather than, as planned, the renovated up-market showpiece of regenerated Church Street, Bishop Chesters says the scheme for turning them into a high-class bar restaurant was unrealistic anyway.

And who championed that idea -- and bought the Pavilions with a view to making it happen?

It was the authorities at the Bishop's own Cathedral, was it not?

This vote is hardly a surprise

I FIND it hardly surprising that all 78 of Lancashire's County Councillors have voted to oppose a referendum on plans for a regional assembly in the North West -- it would put an end to their role and allowances.

I, too, am not charmed by the notion of their being replaced by another talking shop.

But really rich are the county councillors' reasons for opposing such a regional 'parliament'. They say there is insufficient support from the public and that the proposals are insufficiently democratic.

One could, of course, say precisely the same about the County Council's proposals for closing 32 old folk's homes and uprooting hundreds of elderly -- but that did not stop them being bulldozed through by these democrats.

It would serve them right if they were shut down as a result of the same disregard for public opinion and democracy.

that they are now so het up about when it threatens their security.