Deckchairs are disappearing from Brighton beach as more bars and cafs open.

As much a British seaside institution as saucy post-cards and sticks of rock, deckchairs have graced our seafront for decades.

Now their existence could be under threat as stocks are in decline.

In 1995, there were 5,000 deckchairs on Brighton beach. Now there are only 2,000.

Steve Smith, owner of Brighton Deckchairs, said the cut was the result of beach goers sitting in chairs supplied by many of the new cafs and bars, additions to the seafront in the past ten years.

Mr Smith, 39, who owns one of the bars himself, said: "The glory days of the deckchair are certainly over. If you can pay £1.50 to sit in a caf with a beer or cup of tea or pay the same price to sit on the beach, you will go to the caf."

When Mr Smith took over the company in 1989, he had 5,000 chairs but over the years he has not restocked when they have been damaged or broken.

He said the 2,000 he has now is about right.

Student Charlotte Stein, 18, of Pelham Street, Brighton, had paid £1.50 to rent a deckchair for the day.

She said: "It would be really sad if we lost them all. I couldn't imagine the beach without them but I think there are plenty to go round at the moment."

Janelle York, 35, from Sydney, said: "Deckchairs are a really traditional English thing. We are used to sandy beaches so we're sitting on them because they are more comfortable than the stones. It's pretty cheap for all day hire."

But student Lucy Moore, 20, disagreed. She said: "I don't have a lot of money so I wouldn't want to pay to sit on a deckchair when I can just sit on the beach. It seems like there are enough for everyone who wants them. It would be sad if we lost them altogether though."