As I was going to St Ives, I met a man with. . .no money for Ilfracombe

Consternation in Ilfragloom as the North Devon town most likely to be featured in a posh paper's colour supplement once again misses out on big dosh. Ilfracombe had put in a pretty convincing case, I would think, for getting around £1 million of Government-backed readies only to find it was a case of thanks, but no thanks. Oh woe is them, they are rending their garments, wailing and gnashing their teeth and generally throwing their toys out of the pram. But I suspect what really narks them in Ilfracombe is that instead, a ton of money is going to St Ives - the Cornish one, not the one in what used to be Huntingdonshire.

Trying to view this dispassionately, although I don't see why I should, in life there are always winners and losers and so in the case of Ilfracombe v St Ives the possibility that the North Devon side would come off worst cannot be avoided. However, Ilfracombe is the place in North Devon I might choose to live were I ever to move from the place I already live in North Devon, which is nowhere near Ilfracombe, but arguably just as shabby. I have considerable affection for the place, I think its setting surpasses many, many places in the whole of the South West and it has its own distinctive character. In short, I want it to do well. I bear no malice towards St Ives, but I can't help feeling that nature, history, arty-farty types and holidaymakers with a considerable amount of bunce have already endowed the town with enough to keep it going.

Anyway, as some saddoes are fond of quoting "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". So maybe the time has come for Ilfracombe to act tough and say "We never wanted your money in any case. We'll manage on our own." Because to be frank who wants to be known as a town propped up by a succession of Government hand-outs? Ilfracombe hasn't necessarily had money rained down on it by the powers that be, but it is forever putting the case that it could do with a little help to see it through bad times because it is a little bit down on its luck. So come on Ilfracombians (I don't think that's exactly what they're called) now is the time to grow a pair, work out the best way of making the most of what you've got and saying of Government charity "Thanks awfully, but why not give it to a real basket case."