SOMETIME before Ken Livingstone went respectable and became a mayor, Spectator took the chance while on a visit to London to see that Darlington-created elegant and efficient piece of engineering called the Thames Barrier.

Alongside the viewing area was a visitor centre, not at all elegant and doubtless since refurbished several times. Showing in the centre was a film, full of noise and shots of masses of uncontrollable water washing over backdrops of the city.

It's a while ago and the memory plays tricks, but the message was that all these calamities were a thing of the past, thanks to the foresight of the Greater London Council and the constant slogan was: GLC, working for you.

The slogan was adopted on the spot in Spectator's household and freely adapted to any circumstance other than serious ones. The experience also left a jaundiced approach to visitor centres, although the years and some excellent displays have intervened. Nonetheless, the memory crept unbidden into the mind just before inspecting the new visitor centre in Durham City - perhaps it was the River Wear rushing past.

Happily, this is a chalk and cheese matter, for the northern centre, with two exciting but totally appropriate films, one showing on a large-format screen, is something the area can be proud to add to its attractions.

True glory

Whilst in Durham, Spectator re-acquainted himself with the top of the Cathedral tower, an experience which requires a certain amount of dedication to overcome the 200 and odd very narrow and twisting steps.

The view as ever was ample reward for the effort in climbing so high and the couple of pounds entry to the tower.

In a week where some folk were trying to generate some ersatz notion of regional pride, it was refreshing to view the glory of the city's unique place in the landscape and take real pride in something tangible which the region can be truly proud of.