I am absolutely disgusted at Ian Hart's comment: "Who would have thought... Tony Cottee would have been to football management what Worthing is to the British tourism industry" (Argus, May 3).

As someone who owns a local business and relies heavily on the tourist trade, I find it amazing that Mr Hart feels it necessary to knock us in his sports column.

We as an industry have suffered enough recently (fuel protests, flooding, foot-and-mouth disease) without Mr Hart's comments. To add insult to injury, I understand Mr Hart is a Worthing local.

I also wonder how many thousands of people read his column, especially as it was the day after Brighton and Hove Albion clinched the Third Division title.

Mr Hart should stick to his job of writing about sport and leave the rest of us to struggle on and repair the damage he has done.

-Paul Stevens, Worthing