THOUGH the efforts to regenerate Blackburn's town centre have at times been hit by hitches and delay, there is no doubt that, overall, there is vision the council's drive to make the place more attractive.

And that enterprise is boosted by the imaginative scheme announced today to floodlight major buildings in the town's heart.

Prime candidates for illumination include the cathedral and the Old Bank building which overlooks the keynote redevelopment of Church Street.

Other favourites are restored buildings in King Street, Fleming Square and Church Street itself.

The scheme is enabled by government and European funding totalling £220,000 and though improving the town centre's appearance is crucial to the aim of attracting more visitors and shoppers to Blackburn, this is not the only benefit.

For coupled with it is a new strategy to improve the lighting of poorly-lit areas -- to reduce crime and help to make to make the town centre a place where people feel safe. One spot that stands to benefit in particular is the cathedral precinct -- which, as clergy have complained, is frequently blighted by night-time crime and nuisance.

The council's regeneration supremo, Councillor Andy Kay, suggests that as more town-centre buildings are regenerated and improved, more may become floodlit and town-centre businesses are to be consulted on which they would like to be included.

It is any opportunity which they would do well to grasp -- by contributing to the extension of by Blackburn by floodlight.

It is , after all, to their advantage to make Blackburn look better and brighter by night and by day.

And that, surely, is the essence of the regeneration vision -- so that people want to come to the town that is vibrant, appealing, safe and switched on.