This week, Brighton & Hove lost out on Government growth funding, while tourism and leisure firms have been warned about the increased threat of insolvencies to the sector, of around 60%. This will hit the city hard.

Labour’s Shadow Sports & Culture Minister, Ivan Lewis MP visited Brighton & Hove, which relies heavily on leisure and tourism, to speak to local people and a local business, alongside local Labour Leader Gill Mitchell and local Councillor Warren Morgan.

Ivan Lewis MP, visited Yellowave beach sports venue and talked about the challenges and opportunities of the business with it’s staff. They discussed the venue’s viability, ideas for growth and the 2012 Olympics, of which Yellowave is an official Olympic 2012 training venue.

 Labour’s Shadow Secretary for Culture, Media & Sport, Ivan Lewis MP, said:

“It was fantastic to visit Brighton & Hove today and to hear from its residents and local businesses. It’s such a unique and passionate city, with a huge potential that seems, sadly, not to have been recognised by the Tories.

“The staff at Yellowave seemed really enthusiastic about the opportunities the 2012 Olympics will bring. Labour are fully behind local businesses like Yellowave, who are promoting sport and promoting Brighton & Hove.”

Brighton & Hove Labour Leader, Councillor Gill Mitchell, who is also the local councillor for Yellowave, said:

“I’m so disappointed that Brighton & Hove didn’t see a penny of the Government’s Growth Fund, especially when we’ve just been told that our tourism & leisure industry is facing financial difficulties.

“While the Tory-led Government continue to ignore Brighton & Hove, Labour will continue to listen to the concerns of local people and businesses, such as Yellowave, who are a real local success story.

“Yellowave received the full support of the previous Labour Council in the city and is an excellent example of what a city can achieve when it has a council concentrating on driving local investment and delivering for local people.”