Can there really be new hope for Alexandra Palace?

THE important of the article on this page from Alexandra Palace campaigner Clive Carter should not be under-estimated.

For years Mr Carter has been a diligent, articulate and convincing opponent of virtually every new tactic that has been employed by Haringey Council's board of trustees in their flawed attempts to shape the future of this remarkable but problematical asset. Now, after just one meeting of the newly-formed stakeholder group he sees light at the end of the tunnel and senses the long-overdue possibility of an end to the administerial doom and gloom that has surrounded the big castle on the hill for the past 20 years.

Mr Carter's opinions on Alexandra Palace have always been worth listening too, and it has always been self evident that he has the welfare of the complex at heart, with all its rich history and heritage. Thus when he says that a good start has been made on charting a new way forward, everyone who shares his love of Ally Pally should be suitably encouraged.

Mr Carter even countenances the provision of a hotel, and does not entirely rule out the prospect of a casino, which was one of the main causes of objection to the lease that was unwisely negotiated with the Firoka organisation.

His views on those issues will not be universally popular, but he is certainly right in stating that the council's Board of Trustees should now step back gracefully from the mess it has created and allow people with more drive and expertise to fashion the way forward.

During one recent week Ally Pally staged two sell-out concerts and a fireworks display that attracted an estimated 50,000 people. We are not saying there should be fireworks every week. But perhaps the blue touchpaper has at last been lit and Ally Pally may be on the way to fulfilling the potential it has always had as a major centre for relaxation and entertainment - not just for people in its immediate environs, but for the whole of London and beyond.