A holiday let manager is offering a discount to visitors to the city for Pride weekend due to train disruption.

Steve Taggert, founder and managing director of My Getaways, has offered festivalgoers travelling to Brighton a ten per cent discount on all his properties, with a further ten per cent of charges set to be donated to Pride organisers.

Mr Taggert has expressed concern for the local economy after the decision to cancel train services on Saturday - traditionally the busiest day of Pride celebrations in the city.

He said: “It’s absolutely gutting for the city.

“Pride has been running here in Brighton forever, and it’s the most important event of the year for the local economy.

“We have been long-term supporters of the event and want to do anything we can to help.

“By offering people the opportunity to stay for the whole weekend at a discounted rate, we hope we can support our local businesses who are now facing a huge blow to their business.”

Mr Taggert is a member of the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA), which has reported being “inundated with calls” from festivalgoers looking for a place to stay last minute.

Andy Fenner, CEO of the STAA, said: “Pride is a vital event for the local economy, contributing almost £25 million in spending every year.

“The announcement by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to cancel all train services to and from Brighton on Saturday is a devastating blow to the city.

“For events like Pride, holiday lets are often the accommodation of choice, with big groups travelling together opting to stay in larger properties that can cater to their needs.

“Most of the holiday lets in the area are managed by local people who understand the importance of Pride to their city.

“Our members have been inundated with calls from people who have tickets for the event but now face the challenge of getting into the city and are committed to going the extra mile to ensure the event’s success.”

No trains will run to Brighton and across most of Sussex on Saturday due to the disruption, which rail company GTR has said is due to safety concerns amid an overtime ban by drivers’ union Aslef.