One of Brighton's top tourist attractions is threatening to scale down investment in its site because of a new parking scheme.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds are spent each year at the Sea Life Centre on new exhibitions, features and displays to attract more visitors.

But the owners are now reviewing their plans because, they say, the new parking regulations will drive day trippers away.

General manager Toby Forer said owner Merlin Entertainments Group was unhappy with the new regulations.

He said: "We are not keen on investing in a site at a resort where it appears visitors are being shown a big Keep Out sign.

"Everyone has been excited about getting city status and attracting new businesses to the area but the council needs to work to keep pace with the changes and demands."

Brighton and Hove City Council takes over the control of car parking in the city from Monday.

It has tripled the number of parking wardens to 70 and fines for illegal or dangerous parking have been increased from £30 to £60.

The council introduced the measures because of concern about illegal and dangerous parking and growing traffic congestion.

Any profits from the system will be put into traffic schemes.

There are 21 off-street car parks in Brighton and Hove providing 5,633 parking spaces as well as thousands of on-street pay-and-display and voucher spaces.

The council says improved enforcement should mean a greater turnover of parking spaces so everyone should find it easier to get a space.

Mr Forer said: "The trouble is that Brighton doesn't have enough legitimate parking space for day visitors in the spring and autumn, let alone the summer, and the council seems determined not to provide new parking facilities.

"There is so little parking provision that many motorists wanting to visit attractions like ours have had no choice but to park illegally and risk a fine.

"Now they simply won't come and businesses like ours will suffer as a result."

Sea Life operations director Gordon Mutton said: "We like to refresh our attractions with new investment and new feature exhibitions on an annual basis but we can't see any point spending to encourage visitors when the council is doing its best to discourage them."

Council spokesman Diana Barnet said: "Brighton and Hove is a major attraction for day trippers and we have to balance the needs of residents, visitors and businesses.

"We have a large number of parking spaces but there is only a finite number we can provide. We are actively encouraging people to use other forms of transport instead of the car.

"We also hope that by clearing roads of illegally parked cars we can make it easier for buses to run which will encourage travel by public transport."