IT'S one of the district's most absurd but amusing scenes. Groups of tourists knocking at the doors of Lancaster Castle Prison asking to be let in!

The visitors are always politely directed to the rear of the building where there are guided tours of the courtroom and dungeons but you can understand their confusion.

Who, in their right mind, would use such an impressive and historically important building to lock up around 270 lags?

It wouldn't happen in Warwick, Caernarfon, Edinburgh but hey, this is Lancaster, we're a bit "soft" up here.

A similar building in the States would be considered a national treasure attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and millions in tourism revenue. Imagine the merchandising - souvenir gallows, a cuddly George Fox and flashing Witchfinder General hats! If the castle was in London there would be queues round the block and posters on the underground saying come the capital's scariest attraction. Thumbscrews, dungeons and David Wright - it could scare you witless.

Okay, so the last thing we want Lancaster to become is a twee tourist city packed full rubber-necked visitors and naff souvenirs.

But the fact is Lancaster Castle - the most impressive and historic building in the whole of the North West - is a working prison. It should be the jewel in the region's tourism crown but you've got to commit a criminal offence to get inside!

There's millions of pounds of lottery cash up for grabs to breath new life into historic buildings like the castle and just imagine the fun costumed characters from the past could have in such a superb setting.

What is for certain is that, if the Castle did became a public space attracting thousands of visitors, the character of the city would be changed forever.

It would certainly increase prosperity, create jobs and make the city a more attractive proposition to tourists.

We might even begin to finally catch up with our Roses rival, York, but unfortunately I've never heard a local councillor or MP even raise the issue.

Could that be because the castle is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, Her Majesty the Queen, and we're mere subjects after all. Who are we to protest?

Then again, I don't think anything could give this city more of a symbolic lift than to see our very own "Bastille" opened up as a public building.

Are there any fellow peasants out there who agree? IN April of last year we published an article about the escalating cost of part of the Salt Ayre project and in an exclusive story we told you how the council could end up paying £800,000 over the odds. The story drew the usual evasive responses from councillors and indeed two senior officers went as far as to complain in person - denying the overspend and complaining that by running the story this paper had placed the council in a vulnerable position - utter nonsense - the council had placed itself in a vulnerable position! The unquestioning papers round here, once again, ignored the story of course.

Well time has moved on readers and Citizen Smith is still very interested in the true cost of Salt Ayre, so I am asking any councillor or officer (and there's plenty who have been told) just how much will it really cost?

I am determined to tell readers the truth about the way your money is spent by these people despite them, at times, seeming hellbent on stopping me and this column will be reserved next week for anyone with enough integrity to tell us the whole truth.

Oh, and a message to councillors and officers: don't insult our readers by telling them it's an exempt item or by claiming it's all frightfully complicated and confidential - IT'S THEIR MONEY and they have a right to know if you are spending it properly. Unusual I know but people up here actually care about stuff like this.

I am prepared to print a complete retraction and apology if necessary - so come on then - let's have the truth.

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