Rather than going on an expensive holiday abroad this year, why not invest in a mural and have one wall of your living room covered in a breathtaking view, instead?

You could have a Hawaiian panorama or a beach scene from the Maldives. You won’t have to step outside your house to get that far away feeling and will avoid the early morning drive to the airport and an exhausting long-haul flight.

It will cost a fraction of the price and last a lot longer than two weeks.

With snow six inches deep outside in the winter, you will come down in a morning to a vista of golden sands and twinkling sea.

The illusion will work admirably with the central heating on high but don’t forget to don thermals before going to work.

A number of companies offer the service with views ranging from sunshine destinations to the British countryside, although it would rather defeat the object if you had a view of Castle Hill on the wall when you could go to the window.

My wife was interested to read about this revived concept of home decoration. Mind you, it has taken almost 40 years for it to recover after Hilda Ogden famously had a “murial” of a mountain range on the wall of number 13 Coronation Street. Laugh? Elsie Tanner never stopped.

Now, in an age where freedom of expression has never been stretched so far, “murials” are back with a lot more choice, quality and sense of fun.

“I want one,” Maria said. “Mmmm,” I mused.

Perhaps a Montmartre street scene to show the sort of sophistication to which Stan and Hilda aspired, or a peaceful wooded glade.

The options are varied: I’ll pass on the tidal wave that would have you living permanently under the apocalypse, or the London underground escalator waiting for rush hour, and one entire wall as a fish tank has to be avoided. It would just remind me I’m not allowed chips.

“Yes,” said Maria. “I’d like one wall of Blackpool.”

“Pardon?” She is, after all, a Blackpool girl and while you can take the girl out of Blackpool, it is pretty much impossible to take Blackpool out of the girl.

“Donkeys on the beach and the Tower in the background.”

In my early morning befuddled state, I would be forever entering the living room with a bucket and spade, not to build sandcastles, but to clean up. And the smell? Have you been near donkeys? Nice creatures, but they do pong. Even an image can prompt psychosomatic aromas.

“Why don’t you go the whole hog and have a rock shop and candy floss stall, as well?” I said. “Or maybe Charlie Cairoli and the Tower Circus?” she said.

On the whole, I think I prefer Stan and Hilda’s mountain range. It was in far better taste.