WIRRAL tourism is worth more than £350m a year to the borough.

But one loyal flag-waver is angry about some council decisions that will cause damage to one of the area's favourite destinations.

I received a personal postcard plea from the aptly-named Paul Holliday.

Former Floral Pavilion manager Paul, now retired, is proud of his four decades of professional involvement with the resort.

What has caused the man who was once dubbed "Mr New Brighton" to be so full of rage?

He said: "I was there when the summer seasons at the Floral went from May to September – twice nightly.

"Miss New Brighton was a popular midweek attraction for thousands and we also had the Wirral Show, but things changed dramatically over the years.

"We lost the pool, businesses folded and sadly it became ... the last resort.

"But over the last eight years or so there been a dramatic revival at the Marine Point development and we now have the fabulous new Floral and prom areas."

So what is Paul's gripe?

It is the charges that the New Brighton parking brigade Wirral Council has introduced on Perch Rock and parking restrictions on some areas of the prom.

Paul added: "I know only too well the difficult financial situation councils are in, and tough decisions have to be made, but surely this is counter productive?

"We need to be encouraging new businesses and visitors to the area not scaring them off. I wonder if charges will be gradually introduced elsewhere on the prom."

But it's not just the charges that annoy and bewilder him.

It's also the new parking restrictions in the 20 spaces opposite the championship golf course, where there is a maximum stay of two hours.

He signed off: "It's not just the big companies we should be worried about.

"The whole parking issue is really important for local entrepreneurs who are taking a chance, and financial risk, in the future of New Brighton.

"We can’t let them down. Charging for parking is not on."

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THIS week in 1957, two Liverpool teenage lads met and a writing partnership was born.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney went on to create one of the most successful writing partnership the world has known.

But it seems Macca is still peeved that he didn’t get the proper credit for his song-writing.

He has now told Esquire magazine that the name credit Lennon-McCartney on the song sheets should have been alternated when appropriate, with McCartney-Lennon, as they often wrote songs alone or one contributed more than the other.

Paul's own work Yesterday is a prime example.

But he has mentioned his regret about it before in a subtle way on his very personal 1970 solo album McCartney. 

The track Man We Was Lonely recalls the song-writing scenario issue with his very telling, post-Beatle autobiographical lyric: "Singing songs that I thought were mine alone."

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I AM coping with insomnia.

In fact, I lie awake at night worrying about it.

So now there is dream solution to my lack of 40 winks. A composer has written the longest piece of classical music ever recorded – an eight-hour work he hopes will put listeners to sleep.

It's called Sleep (so he had no sleepless nights in coming up with that title).

The composer, Max Richter, who collaborated with a neuroscientist, says it is his “personal lullaby for a frenetic world” calling for a “slower pace of existence” – a wake-up call for our robotic, high tech, soul-less, gadget-filled lives.

Ironically, there is also a one-hour version of Sleep for those who can't listen for eight hours and that sadly will be the one many will opt for.

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AND finally ... While Wimbledon dominates our screens it was good to hear the musical genius who created The Wombles is a huge fan of our own broadcaster and Wirral resident – BBC’s Radio Merseyside's Billy Butler.

Mike suggested the Billy Butler personality should be "bottled" saying BB is just the tonic when he feels down. Loyal listeners agree. Carry on Wombling, Mike – what a Batty idea.

Peter Grant