> Dress for success

> Killing for honour

> Man marries four women

> Perfume do's and don'ts

> There's money in Mao

> Divorced via SMS

> Cape Town's Baby Expo

> Online sex users married

> US has stream dating

> Thinking about inking?

Today, 08 November 2009

› Malema’s life in danger

› Bok player ratings

› Hofmeyr addresses Joost

› Major airport work done

› Bok captain heading home

Yesterday, 07 November 2009

› Malema’s life in danger

› Leicester sting Bok Bs

› Eskom chair faces the axe

› Nedbank, ANCYL make up

› Hofmeyr addresses Joost

The British resort of Blackpool has produced an eye-popping video seeking to add some Gallic chic to its traditional English seaside image — complete with a bizarre punchline about "Le Hot Pot."

To a mournful piano soundtrack and amid artfully-shot Parisian-style cafe decor, a young woman speaking strangely-accented French is seen writing home, lamenting that her boyfriend Frank has got a job in London.

"I don't want to leave here," says Valerie, as a slow-moving camera shows a roofscape with what looks like the Eiffel Tower — in fact Blackpool's own seafront tower — in the background.

"Why is life so complicated?" she sighs, staring soulfully at her cafe table and refusing to eat anything, despite the enticing offers of a croque monsieur or salade nicoise from another French-but-not-French waitress.

Then the boyfriend arrives, with a thick Lancashire accent. "It's alright love, I've turned the job down."

"But why?" she asks, hope rising. "Weather's rubbish in London, innit" replies Frank. Valerie: "So we can stay?" Frank: "Oui love, oui," triggering kisses, hugs and gush of upbeat music.

Her appetite is suddenly back. "I want casserole de Lancashire," she says, breaking into English.

Waitress: "Hot pot?"

Valerie, eyes bright and nostrils flaring: "Oui, hot pot."

The camera pans out to reveal the Parisian cityscape in fact as Blackpool, the pride of Lancashire on the northwest English coast, more well known in Britain at least for wet weekends and and its pleasure beach.

Tourism chiefs defended the 90-second video, called "J'aime la Tour" (I love the Tower) and so far watched by some 3000 people, saying it was commissioned "to show the charming continental side to Blackpool.

"We’ve harnessed the power of YouTube and a sexy French accent to attract visitors who may have traditionally felt that Blackpool was not for them," said a statement on the website of VisitBlackpool.com.

"Social networking sites like YouTube will help ensure that we get the message out to young people and new audiences," said the head of tourism and regeneration at Blackpool Council, appropriately named Helen France.

Go to www.visitblackpool.com to see the ad.

AFP