Uncertainty over plans for the Brighton Centre is undermining confidence in the city as a leading conference and tourism destination, say opposition Labour councillors.

Richard Gurner discusses why the venue is vital to the city's economy and why alternative conference venues are needed when the centre is eventually closed.

Plans to bring the Brighton Centre up to date have been in the pipeline for what seems an eternity.

In 1996 architects Jara International were in talks with the council to create a hotel and conference complex where the Brighton Centre and Kingswest building stand.

That eventually came to nothing but more recently there have been major plans discussed between Brighton and Hove City Council, the South East England Development Agency (Seeda) and the site's owner, Standard Life.

In August last year The Argus published details of a Seeda meeting which said the redevelopment of the centre would inject a massive £3 billion into the city's economy over the next 30 years.

In October we also revealed how the city's conference programme was underbooked because of the council's announcement four years ago that it would be closed for redevelopment this year.

Having the venue empty is expected to cost hotels, shops, restaurants and bars at least £4 million this year.

Labour councillors have started the new year by calling on the Conservative-controlled council to make the redevelopment its priority because it currently generates £54 million for the local economy.

The party also says the delays in the Black Rock Ice Arena, which is still not at the planning application stage, could jeopardise the city's status as a conference host as the planned venue was mooted as a temporary replacement for the Brighton Centre while redevelopment work took place.

The ice arena is due to include two ice rinks, an 11,000-seat concert hall, a 100-seat cinema, a museum, recording and dance studios, bars, shops and restaurants and would be a suitable alternative until a new Brighton Centre opens.

Labour is concerned at what they see as a lack of direction and planning for the future and say this is undermining confidence in the city as a leading conference and tourism destination.

Leader of the Labour group Councillor Gill Mitchell said: "We still do not know when the Brighton Centre will close and work on its replacement will begin.

"It is imperative that this uncertainty is ended and that the Conservative administration of the council sets out how it intends to maintain visitor numbers to the city during the period of closure.

"They must say where the alternative conference venues will be and firm up these arrangements now to give organisers some certainty.

"The conference trade is fiercely competitive and once bookings are lost they will be hard to win back."

Mark Jones, chairman of the Brighton and Hove Hoteliers Association, said that while a lot of people were working hard behind the scenes to make the redevelopment of the Brighton Centre happen, a plan of action needed to be in place to ensure leisure trade was not lost during its closure.

He said: "From our perspective it's not so important that the Brighton Centre redevelopment is under way.

"What's more important is that we have a plan to keep the city going when the centre is shut.

"If the council suddenly announces a date to start work on the centre it will count for nothing unless it has alternative venues arranged.

"If there is no Brighton Centre and nowhere else to stage events then we won't have any.

"Visitor numbers are the important thing and we need to keep them coming.

"It's vital that the city prepares for the closure and it's vital that we invest time, effort and, if possible, money in working the plan to make people keep coming right the way through until the centre reopens."

Council leader Brian Oxley said: "I do know officers are working very hard to make sure there are plenty of venues available to transfer conference services so that conferences can continue while the centre is closed.

"The point is, before the council elections in May last year I was saying we really needed to deal with the Brighton Centre because it is crucial to the local economy in the coming years.

"It is about getting the other venues in place and making sure we can move on with the project as soon as we can.

"Lots of detailed discussions have taken place with Standard Life and they are continuing.

"As soon as there is anything different we will be making an announcement. A lot of intensive work is going on."

He added that discussions with David Pople, the managing director of developer Brighton Arena Ltd, are continuing over the Black Rock development.

theargus.co.uk/comment What are your thoughts on what is happening with the Brighton Centre? Is enough being done to prepare for the future? Tell us below