By Peter Lilley Oxygen PR

 

According to the Daily Mail, Brighton is an “unenterprising, unattractive and outdated holiday resort”.

Fortunately, this disparaging assessment of the city was published in the early 1900s. But its judgement may not be too far off the mark today.

Despite a recent Argus story head- lined: “Brighton & Hove tourism boom” which suggested the city was bucking the trend of UK seaside resorts falling into decline, retailers and hoteliers argued otherwise, claiming 2012 had been a disastrous year for visitors, with Brighton failing to benefit from the much-heralded knock-on effect of the London Olympics and being subjected to the soggiest summer for 100 years. Of course, all resorts face unexpected crises.

My concern is that Brighton and Hove’s problems are much more deep-rooted. Earlier this month I attended a workshop arranged by the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership. It was supposed to offer local businesses the opportunity to comment on a new tourism strategy currently being put together for the city council by a team of outside consultants. Apart from the rather clumsy way the event was hosted, which failed to take full advantage of the knowledge and expertise available in the room, the most startling aspect for me was the belief (never contradicted by the consultants) that the city remains a top-tier conference destination.

This may have been the case up until the mid-1990s when the Brighton Centre was still seen as providing some of the best facilities around. But having decided in the 1970s that the conference industry should become the new backbone of the city’s tourism industry, Brighton’s leaders became complacent. They failed to take the necessary steps to ensure its conference facilities always remained a cut above the competition.

As a result, it wasn’t until 2005 that it was finally agreed that a brand new conference centre should be built. But sadly, this idea has yet to move beyond the drawing board. In 2011 the council was forced to spend £1 million freshening up the existing centre with a new frontage and seating to ensure the facility at least continues to attract some business. But make no mistake – Brighton and Hove is no longer a leading conference city.

We are almost back to being the seaside town of old, but can’t even seem to get this right, deluding ourselves that we’re a premier resort targeting a well-heeled, high-spending clientele when the reality is that most visitors are day-trippers or overnighters from London and the south-east seeking fun in the sun. What they look for are things which should be absolute basics for a resort city, namely easy access, clean streets, gleaming paintwork, plenty of public toilets and cheap parking.

Tourists also appreciate being given free maps and information, so it seems extraordinary that at the forthcoming budget meeting on February 28, the council is proposing to close the main Visitor Information Centre next to the Royal Pavilion.

That can only give the impression of inviting friends to come down and stay and then when they arrive, slamming the front door in their face.