A euthanasia expert dubbed Dr Death has been banned from holding his suicide workshop in a seaside hotel and told: “You’re not welcome in Sussex”.

Dr Philip Nitschke, who teaches practical methods to commit suicide, is scouring the county’s coast for a venue after a hotel in Eastbourne refused to host the event.

Sussex Police have also been made aware of the doctor’s plans and maintain the workshop could be illegal.

Councils across Sussex quickly followed suit after news the Langham Hotel in Eastbourne had made a dramatic U-turn yesterday.

Eastbourne MP Nigel Waterson, who is opposed to euthanasia, alerted police to the planned meeting, worried it could be breaking the law.

He said: “I’m pleased the event has been apparently cancelled, not because I’m against a full public debate on the issue, but giving advice on how to end a life is against the law.

“I hope they don’t find another venue.”

Chief Inspector Dick Coates, Eastbourne’s district commander, said: “If it was allowed to take place, the organisation and possibly the hotel where it was to take place could have been committing offences.

“It would be difficult to make a decision based on assumptions but I would be very concerned if anyone was running an event like that.”

A spokeswoman for Worthing Borough Council and Adur District Council said: “Neither Adur or Worthing councils would agree with any sort of event which is about teaching people how to kill themselves. We would hope local hoteliers would feel the same way.”

Leader of West Sussex County Council Henry Smith said: “When it comes to individual organisations which hold a very controversial position on something in terms of life, we reserve our right to refuse rental of premises to the individual or organisation because of the offence it could cause to the community.”

East Sussex County Council leader Peter Jones said: “I would be in line with the other councils. Euthanasia is against the law in this country and I’m a law-abiding citizen and we are a law-abiding authority.

“We wouldn’t want anything to do with this.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said the council would have to judge any application on its merits.

He said: “It’s not the council’s role to support or oppose any event that promotes euthanasia. It’s our role to support older people to live as long and as active a life as possible.”

It is the third time the event has been cancelled after two previous attempts to hold it in Bournemouth.

Dr Nitschke said: “I’m disgusted frankly. This is the third one now pulling out at the last minute after publicly saying they were OK. We are desperately searching for a new venue in Eastbourne.”

Dr Nitschke said he would also be looking for other places in Sussex. He said: “We’re still scheduled to go across to Belfast on Monday so it has to be this weekend in Eastbourne so we’ll see how it goes but we’re running out of options. The elderly folk and those who are seriously ill who have a lot to benefit from this sort of event are the ones that are going to lose.”

Yesterday the Langham Hotel, in Royal Parade, Eastbourne, said it was not allowing the booking despite previously stating in The Argus that it had no problem with it.

The Langham Hotel’s general manager, Andrew Coy, said: “We have decided not to pursue the event. We are not going to declare our reasons.”

An Eastbourne Borough Council spokesman said: “The council was approached by Exit International who wanted to use a council facility for a meeting.

The booking was not accepted.”

Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, which campaigns for greater patient choice at the end of life, said: “It is irresponsible and potentially dangerous to provide information on how to end life without safeguards or control over where the information goes.

“Dignity in Dying believes terminally ill adults should have access to better care and treatment, and the option of an assisted death within strict legal safeguards.”