Bailiffs are trying to track down the people who organised Pride last year to recover £200,000 owed to creditors.

A former board member of Pride South East told The Argus that he was visited at his home in Hove by bailiffs pursuing the charity’s debts.

Former vice chair Nick Beck said they told him they were representing the Performance Rights Society which licenses organisations to play music at events.

A spokeswoman for the music service said PRS for Music had begun legal proceedings over a debt of £2,349.15 but said she was not aware of bailiffs operating on their behalf.

Pride South East ran the Pride celebrations in Brighton and Hove until this year.

In December Revenue and Customs rejected an attempt by the organisers to reclaim VAT they had paid.

The decision pushed the charity deeper into financial trouble and in February it was revealed that Pride South East owed creditors more than £180,000.

The charity also owed Brighton and Hove City Council more than £20,000.

Records at Companies House and the Charity Commission indicate Pride South East is still a going concern but its latest accounts are overdue.

Mr Beck assisted the Pride South East team from November 2010 until he resigned in January. He said: “I had someone call at my house about two weeks ago.

“A chap called and he told me he thought it was the office of Pride South East. I assured him that it was my home and not the office and he acknowledged his mistake.

“They got my address because I had written a couple of letters on behalf of Pride from my home.”

Former chairman Russell Allen told The Argus he had not been contacted by bailiffs. He said: “I no longer have anything to do with Pride.

“Last year after the event happened, the trustees all parted company and as far as I’m aware the company is no longer ongoing.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokeswoman said the authority was seeking legal advice over the issue.

A spokeswoman for Fisher Productions Ltd, which is owed £129,000 by Pride South East, refused to comment.