Seafront campaigners are dismayed after being told a revamp of Worthing promenade has been put on hold.

The Liberal Democrat leaders of Worthing Borough Council said there was no money in the budget to upgrade facilities in 2003-04.

But the decision to freeze spending has angered people who have been bidding to breath new life into the town's visitor showpiece.

Councillor Brian Lynn, who was leader of the Conservative group which made promenade improvements a priority before the Lib Dems took power, said: "I think it is a great mistake and they will regret it."

Under the Tories, more than £200,000 was ploughed into the seafront, paying for a new beach shelter, lighting, cordyline trees and palm trees.

The Lib Dems bowed to public pressure and allocated £94,000 left in the budget when they took over to pay for another new shelter opposite Byron Road and the revamp of vandal-plagued Windsor Lawns in East Worthing.

Assistant borough treasurer Andrew Gardiner said: "We are going to miss a year but there is going to be £100,000 put in the 2004-05 budget.

"They want to spend the money on the leisure centre and Aquarena swimming pool instead. Improvements to these facilities were deemed to be more pressing than enhancing the seafront.

"The administration is taking the view that what has been done is very much the first phase, but it is looking to do another phase in a couple of years' time."

Councillor John Lovell, deputy leader of the Lib Dems, said money from a developer would be used for the seafront in 2004-5.

Roffey Homes, which is building 72 luxury flats on the former Warnes Hotel site, has pledged £50,000 towards improvements.

Mr Lynn said: "The Lib Dems have been backpedalling ever since they took over. We were going to put more cordylines in and continue the excellent start we made, which has gone down so well with the public."

Sue Murray, former chairman of Worthing Hospitality Association, said: "We understand fully the budgetary constraints. At the same time, I still feel there are funding sources which are available which haven't been researched properly.

Naturally, we are very disappointed and hope this is just a blip."

Despite the blow, work on the Brunswick Road shelter is progressing in readiness for a new Edwardian-style roof which, at the time of writing, was due to arrive within days.

Seats and lighting poles for Windsor Lawns are expected to be installed in March but the demolition of the toilets nearby has been delayed.

Ferring seafront is currently a hive of activity as six groynes are renewed and hundreds of tons of shingle deposited on the beach.

Meanwhile, Worthing Yacht Club is planning to extend its existing balcony and add a screen to the east elevation to form a suntrap out of the wind.

The tamarisk bushes lining Goring's coastal path have been cut back, apparently for the first time in 17 years, but rubbish is once again accumulating.

Work has yet to start on the fire-damaged beach chalets at East Worthing and the borough crest, blown off its hinges last autumn, has not been reinstated on the beacon between the Denton Lounge and the Lido.

Should further improvements be put on hold for year? Write to Paul Holden at 35 Chapel Road, Worthing, BN1 1EG, or e-mail paul.holden@theargus.co.uk