Politicians have been urged to make sure a large manufacturer does not move out of Brighton and Hove, taking more than a hundred jobs with it.

Award-winning firm Rayner Interocular Lenses recently celebrated 60 years of manufacturing in Hove but is being forced to relocate to allow a £100 million redevelopment of the Sackville Trading Estate.

It is feared the company could move elsewhere in Sussex because of the lack of suitably sized commercial space in Brighton and Hove, which would result in about 130 skilled jobs being lost to the city.

This would be a further blow to the economy, following Lloyds Banking Group’s decision to axe 425 permanent jobs from its Brighton offices.

The Rayner issue is the first real test of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Business Retention and Inward Investment Strategy (BRIIS) board, made up of the council, the city’s economic partnership, Seeda and a commercial estate agent.

It was launched in June with the aim of attracting new businesses to Brighton and Hove and ensuring existing firms have the facilities they need.

Management of Rayner, the UK’s only manufacturer of Intraocular Lenses (IOLs) implants, which are used in cataract surgery, insist no decision on its future has been made.

But one worried worker at the site, who asked not to be named, told The Argus the company had been looking at sites in Eastbourne and Chichester.

They added that the current home of machine manufacturer Eurotherm in Durrington, just outside Worthing, is believed to be the favourite site.

The worker said: “If we don’t move with them we will lose our jobs.

“What is sure is that 130 jobs will leave the Hove economy and go somewhere else in Sussex.”

Councillor Jayne Bennett, whose ward contains the Sackville Estate, said she would be concerned if Rayner was to relocate outside Brighton and Hove.

She added: “I knew it would have to move but I never thought it would move out of the city.

“It would be very disappointing if the company was to do so.

“Rayner has been based in Hove for years and is a very important employer for the area.

“I would hope that the council is working hard to try to keep this company in the city.”

Councillor Ted Kemble, cabinet member for employment, enterprise and major projects, said he broached the subject of relocation with Rayner management last week during a presentation ceremony at the Royal Pavilion, where the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex presented the company with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the category of International Trade.

He said: “It is important because about 70% of their staff either walk or cycle to work so to move out the city would be a problem.

I have asked to meet the board soon to see what the council to help find a site. It is something the BRIIS will be facilitating.”

One of the major hurdles is that Rayner has outgrown its 25,000sqft site at Sackville and is looking for somewhere double its size.

Coun Kemble said: “There is a site that has this space over three floors but we are not sure yet if that would be suitable.”

A spokesman for Rayner said the company was working with Parkridge, the developer of the Sackville Estate, to find a site.

He added: “Our preference is to stay locally because our local workforce is very valuable.”