I quite understand why Paul Kemp of the events company Wild Fruit feels sceptical about handing over the first instalment of a £71,000 fee to the organisers of Brighton Pride for the privilege of running eight bars and a dance tent at this year’s Pride festival in Preston Park (The Argus, May 18).

Last year Mr Kemp’s company lost thousands of pounds supporting Pride which, in total, costs £350,000 to stage.

In part, this was due to appalling weather. But he’s right to be concerned about the financial position of Pride, which relies heavily on gay-run private companies shouldering the heaviest financial burden.

Even then, Pride ended up with a £50,000 shortfall and had to be bailed out by Brighton and Hove City Council.

With less than three months to go before this year’s event on August 7, it’s a worrying development that such a prominent backer has withdrawn and I suspect Judith Manson, Pride’s colourful fundraising and communications manager, may live to regret her response defending Pride’s decision to terminate its contract with Wild Fruit for being dilatory with its downpayment.

One wouldn’t have thought Pride was exactly awash with rival entrepreneurs desperate to take up the now vacant concessions. Once again Brighton Pride appears to have forgotten its roots and is in danger of alienating the gay community even more than it has done already.

I warned as much several months ago in a letter to The Argus (August 11, 2009), suggesting it was neither acceptable, nor sustainable, for the LGBT community to largely fund the event, only to find that, come Pride itself, the world and his wife were suddenly falling over themselves to be “gay for a day”.

Despite various protestations from the Pride committee that changes would be made, I see no strong evidence of this. Without wishing to prejudice this year’s event, I can’t help but raise the question, is Pride going to leave us feeling proud?

Peter Lilley, Salisbury Road, Hove