Sussex are “seriously” considering returning to Eastbourne in 2017.

The county have not played at the Saffrons since 2000 but have held positive talks with the local council about staging a one-day fixture at the ground.

It would be the first time Sussex have played at an out-ground other than Horsham or Arundel since 2008 when they staged a one-day game at Horntye Park in Hastings which was washed out without a ball being bowled.

But chairman Jim May says the support from the local authority and businesses makes Eastbourne a far more commercially viable venue to stage festival cricket than either Arundel or Horsham.

The Horsham festival only went ahead in 2014 after an anonymous benefactor donated £5,000 following a plea from the club while corporate hospitality revenue and sponsorship has dropped at both venues in recent years.

May said: “Under Zac (Toumazi, chief executive) we have made tremendous efforts to try to get sponsors at Arundel and Horsham but we’ve had less support than we would wish.

“We had a fantastic crowd for the Twenty20 match at Arundel last season but at both Arundel and Horsham the takings were down quite considerably when you combine gate money with corporate hospitality.

“We have made it really clear over the last few years if people want us to play at outgrounds they have got to support the outgrounds.

“Eastbourne are very keen for us to play a one-day match there and Zac has spoken to them. The enthusiasm of the local authority is in contrast to both Arundel and Horsham while I also think the business community is more willing to get behind cricket.

“That has become a much more serious prospect although I don’t think it will happen in 2016. I don’t want to raise false expectations but maybe 2017.”

Sussex played regularly at the Saffrons up until 2000 but the costs of staging festival cricket have seen all first class counties scaling back on the use of out-grounds.

May is keen for Sussex to begin playing matches in East Sussex once again but says the long-term future of festival cricket remains uncertain.

He added: “I think festival cricket is at risk throughout the country. As counties spend more money on their headquarters they want to get a return on it. One suggestion we have made to the ECB is for there to be grants to stage festival cricket.”