 Many English seaside towns seem as if they are stuck in a time warp, in an era when families and charabancs full of factory workers would converge on the shore for fun and frolics.
As buildings decay and holiday makers flock to warmer shores resorts like Blackpool and Morecambe on the northwest coast are looking to refresh their image.
Blackpool council has drawn up radical plans to turn its stretch of coastline, known as the Golden Mile, into what some have called the new Las Vegas of Europe.
The town is keen to capitalize on a proposed deregulation of Britain's gambling laws.
"Blackpool needs to see major change if it is to turn the tide and create a prosperous future," said deputy council leader Eddie Collett.
The aim is to build five big casinos and create around 30,000 new jobs. The project is already underway but developers say it will take until 2020 to finish.
Council officials say the plan could generate around 437 million pounds a year and increase annual tourist visitors to around 15 million from 11 million now.
The glitz of Las Vegas feels a long way from Blackpool.
Its sandy beach is often strewn with litter and it is hard to find much better food than a burger.
Many residents acknowledge the resort is not looking its best but some worry that the casino plan could attract the wrong sort of clientele.
"There are enough alcoholics and gamblers anyway in Blackpool," said sweet-seller Pat Whitty, referring to a current craze for stag and hen night parties in the resort.
"Casinos will definitely scare families away," added Whitty. "Blackpool will lose its old seaside image."
| 英国许多海滨小镇仿佛被卡在时间隧道里了，至今仍然停留在那个全家人和装满工人的大游览车聚集在海边欢乐嬉闹的时代。
随着建筑物日渐破损，度假者们蜂拥前往更温暖的海滨胜地，而位于西北海岸线上的布莱克普和莫克姆正在努力使自己的面貌焕然一新。
布莱克普议会草拟了大胆的计划，打算把被称为“黄金海岸”的海岸线改造成一些人号称的“欧洲的新拉斯维加斯”。
这个小镇急于利用提议解除英国赌博法管制的契机。
“如果想要扭转潮流，创造繁荣的未来，布莱克普要经历很大的变化，”议会副会长埃迪·考兰特说。
这一计划的目标是建立五个大娱乐场，并创造约三万个新的工作岗位。这个项目已经起步，但开发者说要到2020年才能完成。
议会官员说这项计划每年将创造约4.37亿英镑的收入，并使每年的游客量从现在的1100万上升到1500万。
布莱克普要想像拉斯维加斯一样光彩夺目还有很长一段路要走。
那儿的沙滩上总是丢满垃圾，在那里也很难找到比汉堡更美味的食品。
许多居民承认这个海滨胜地现在的情况并不是最理想的，但也有人担心建造娱乐场的计划会吸引不道德的游客。
“总之，布莱克普的酒鬼和赌徒已经够多了。”谈到目前这里对男女聚会的狂热，糖果售货员帕特·威蒂这样说。
“娱乐场肯定会把家庭游客吓跑，布莱克普将丧失它原有的海滨景象，”威蒂补充说。
warp: 弯曲
draw up: 草拟
capitalize on: 利用
strew: (with) 撒，散播
clientele: 客户
stag night party: 只有男性参加的社交晚会
hen night party: 只有女性参加的社交晚会
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发表于 2007-11-5 16:50
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