Theatre chiefs have barred Brighton comedian Terry Garoghan from using their stage until he gets a proper backing band.

For more than six years, Terry has been singing about local landmarks in his show Brighton The Musical.

Replacing the lyrics of popular songs with cheeky quips, Terry pokes fun at the piers, marina and Seven Dials roundabout.

His quirky repertoire includes All You Need Is Hove, sung to the Beatles' All You Need Is Love; Businessman In Whitehawk, sung to Sting's Englishman In New York; and Brighton: The Anthem, which describes the Royal Pavilion as "a building shaped like an onion".

But one landmark Terry so lovingly sings about has refused to let him perform unless he changes his show.

Dome general manager Robert Sanderson has told the comedian he must scrap his backing tape and hire a band.

Terry performs the show only once a year and says it would make no sense to pay for rehearsals and a live show.

He said: "If fans had complained about the backing tape then I'd have changed it but they haven't."

Terry has performed Brighton The Musical 27 times at venues including the Brighton Centre, Hove Town Hall and the Gardner Arts Centre.

Accompanied by his tape, he played the Dome Concert Hall in 1998 and sold at least 1,650 tickets.

He said: "After the show, the management team told me I'd always be welcome back.

"I'm bitterly disappointed and very angry the Dome is snubbing me. I'm even considering stopping the show."

The irony for Terry is that other comedians are allowed to perform with only a microphone.

He said: "I'm a comedian who sings. It's a comedy show, not a music concert. Jack Dee strolls on stage with only a microphone but The Dome says I need a live band.

"I feel like I'm being penalised for trying to offer something a bit different."

He added: "I saw my first gig at the Dome more than 30 years ago. It was Jethro Tull.

"It's a venue with huge significance for me. I still think it's a lovely building - it's just the management who aren't so lovely."

Mr Sanderson, however, is standing by his decision. He said: "The Dome Concert Hall is a world-class venue.

"If Terry wants to perform on the same stage as the likes of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jack Dee, Stomp and Lee Evans, he needs to devise a proper show, not just sing along to a backing tape.

"This is not the Dome of three years ago. We spent £22 million on the refurbishment and now it is a major international venue. People expect a high standard of production from The Dome.

"We are offering Mr Garoghan the stage but we think he should perform with a live band."