CANDY CORNER

Last updated 12:28, Friday, 23 May 2008

WORKINGTON was already set to Paint The Town Red with its new one day festival of fun this summer.

Now we can paint the town red, white and blue following wonderful news that The Queen is to visit our area for the first time in almost 30 years.

Her Majesty, and the Duke of Edinburgh, will visit the Cumberland Pencil Company’s new Lillyhall factory on June 5.

She will see a building that says much about the modern West Cumbria, where a traditional industry is reinventing itself in a setting that uses many environmental features such as rainwater harvesting, daylight sensor lighting, and wood waste recycling for heat.

Her Majesty will get glimpses of a district using its nuclear skills base and natural resources to create an energy coast idyll.

It would be marvellous if the Queen could return once our new nuclear academy and university campus are both in place at Lillyhall.

Then she would see how West Cumbria is being mapped out for future generations.

What can we make of Cockermouth Market Place’s new candy coloured seating?

Many residents and traders are upset that the seats clash with the Georgian splendour of their setting.

“The idea is that they bring the place to life,” said one defender of the scheme this week.

They’ve certainly become a talking point, creating more hubbub around a revamp that’s already had much criticism.

But none of this clamour and controversy is very typical of Cockermouth. It is normally a town that goes very quietly about its business.

Its shiny new seats are drawing attention for all the wrong reasons.