The Pleasure Beach announced today that the local landmark restaurant, the White Tower, is set to restrict itself only to private bookings. For many, this is an ‘end of an era’ moment and, inevitably, another “nail in the coffin”. We have plenty of them in Blackpool, it seems, these days.

Stop for a moment though. Is it not the case that Blackpool is changing? Change can often be for the better as well as the worse. Under the Conservative council, school results are gradually improving, as we saw with the league tables published yesterday. I would focus on a growing culture of aspiration in the town’s education system as a positive change, rather than concentrate on the downgrading of a restaurant which is a negative change. Conservative proposals to expand pupil funding in disadvantaged areas will give the Conservative council an added boost as it strives to undo years of Labour damage.

Don’t get me wrong – I like the White Tower. I just put it in the “top places to eat in Blackpool” article in my magazine - (sorry, you’ll have to book a private party now). But what this town needs to regenerate is not just more tourists, but a sense of ambition for its own citizens. So the real optimism should be found in those league tables. They may not be a perfect measure of indicating success – and Blackpool is still further down the league tables than we should be – but, for me, improving educational chances for Blackpool’s young people is the number one task.