On the up

On one of this summers very rare sunny days the kids and I went for a walk in the once popular local seaside resort of New Brighton. As a typical Victorian resort its heydays of the 50's and 60's passed with the onset of cheap foreign holidays and by the eighties it was a rundown mess with the economic prospects of zero, or so it seemed. The last few years have seen a turnaround with private investors and local govt both seeing potential in the open beaches coupled with cheap property and so the old girl is now on the up. The new resort does lack though a centre point to bring in the crowds, something the old New Brighton certainly had in the form of its pier and tower. Both are now long gone and will never be replaced so it seems Starbucks will have to suffice....ha! The kids and I walked through the woods that once held court to the towers fair and I tried to figure out exactly from old pics just what went where but the only sign of the tower and its ballroom is a plaque recording how many times The Beatles in their early days played there. The Beatles in their rocker days played the ballroom at the towers base both on their own and backing visiting talent, something I'd like to have seen. But as much as I admire the band I'd sooner more was made of past architectural glory and perhaps an effort made to enhance the area with some fitting and quality new building....we shall see!