The last time politicians got involved in a commercial venture it resulted in the debacle of the Millennium Dome.

Until proper business took over the building and reopened it as the O2 arena, the building was a complete disaster.

Now Brighton and Hove City Council wants to try its luck with the ill-fated i360, quoting visitor expectations to be 800,000 a year and create more than 500 jobs.

Please tell me, who conjures up these figures? Assuming the venue is open 365 days a year, will about 2,200 people really visit this tower every day?

Obviously there are seasonal factors but are you telling me that, on a wet Wednesday in February, this attraction will attract anywhere near the number of visitors to make a £38-million investment viable? And 500 jobs? These numbers are being thought up in some sort of Green utopia by the council.

Let’s stop it now.

Paul Johnston, Middleton Avenue, Hove