WHEN a private company decides to bring in contractors for a large project, all aspects of the deal are discussed - cost, materials, planning consents, and most importantly the completion date.

Always, and I would think without exception, on the larger projects a completion date is agreed and a penalty clause put in, so if the contractors finish late or don't complete on time it costs them a lot of money. This means they have a big incentive to get moving and finish the job within the time allowed.

So, you might ask, what has all this got to do with the price of chips? If I recall, the work on Church Street ran a long way past its finishing date, I mean that's always assuming that it is finished.

The King Street project is trailing. And the Pavilions look like the 'Mouse Trap' in that they are in for a long run; Fleming Square has missed its date with destiny.

So, who stands the cost of all this extra time, lack of foresight, and incompetence? You have got it in one, us.

Perhaps I wouldn't feel so bad about it if we were using local builders, then at least we would be putting something into our local economy, but all this cash is going out of the town.

So it might be an idea next time a big project is up for grabs they put someone with a bit of nous on the panel, committee, or whatever bunch of people it is that gives these schemes the go ahead.

But enough of that, my friend Bill has been in Blackburn Royal this week and the care and attention he received was great, and in the same ward but feeling a little under the weather was Sid Stuart.

You remember Sid? He was the manager of the Cavendish from when it first opened. And wasn't it a new exciting experience for us all? Go-go dancers, a speakeasy disco, the Latino lounge, casinos, and of course the big cabaret room.

All this and chicken in a basket. Oh there was no end to the new delights it had to offer.

I must admit I made a bit of a fool of myself once when we went there on a staff outing. We had been celebrating quite heavily and I was sitting on the edge of that big dance floor that doubled as a stage.

Vince Hill was the star of the show and was on there singing. He then asked for requests, so I said: "Vince please, please sing Edelweiss." He turned, looked at me rather coldly and said: "I have just sung that song, madam."

My faithful tumble dryer is giving up the ghost, and its sad death rattles are breaking my purse. I shall have to buy a new one, but will I look at it and feel the same surge of pride and wonder that I felt when I took home my first electric dryer?

It was that very latest new invention, a Flatly dryer. Hey, let's face it, you had arrived when you got one of those. I was so impressed with it. Oh yes, I used to drop its name into the conversation. Thinks like: "Oh I do hope I have switched my Flatly off," and stuff like that. A bit sad wasn't I?

And my hopes for Accrington Stanley were dashed on Sunday. Never mind my darlings, there's always tomorrow. And the same thing happened at East Lancs - we got beaten in the Worsley Cup. I blame the refs. Well if it's not them it's the weather. Till next week.