Business leaders in Eastbourne have called on councillors to maintain spending on tourism ahead of cost-cutting measures to be taken next year.

Eastbourne Borough Council is looking for ways to make savings and has asked residents for suggestions.

One of the options floated in a consultation document was to cut the amount of money the town spends on promoting tourism.

That suggestion met with disapproval at a business forum, hosted by Sussex Enterprise, at Kings Centre in Hampden Park.

Mike Ogilvie, of Eastbourne-based Ogilvie Booth Coles accountants, said: "I think cutting tourism spending would be very short-sighted because the whole economy in this town is geared around tourism.

"If we want to attract the right quality of staff we need to make Eastbourne an attractive place to live."

Steven Gauge, director of communications at Sussex Enterprise, said: "Businesses need to get their voice heard on issues that affect the way they run their businesses."

Tourism accounts for 75.5 per cent of employment in Eastbourne, which has become a major watersports destination.

The £50 million marina, which has 65 acres of water space, is still growing and will eventually hold 1,100 berths.

The venue celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and is one of the venues which the resort has put forward to the London 2012 Olympic Committee.

The council is examining the responses it has received from its consultation and stressed no decisions had yet been made.

Some 3,400 people responded to the Shape Your Services leaflet survey, representing 7.9 per cent of the 43,000 households who received it.

The council's Cabinet will discuss the consultation responses next Thursday.

Thursday November 13, 2003