TOURIST hotspots in Sussex are in danger of seeing their high streets “hollowed out” if coronavirus support is scaled back, Labour has warned.

Labour said that 17% of businesses in Brighton rely on retail, tourism or hospitality - areas which have all been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband has urged ministers to extend the current tax relief available to avoid England’s third lockdown from creating a host of ghost towns.

READ MORE: What next for high street after major shop closures?

The former Labour leader said: “We are facing a national economic crisis, but it’s clear that if high street businesses like restaurants, hotels, shops and salons go bust the impact will be felt much more deeply by communities in certain parts of the country.

“It’s striking that before Covid these places, from Cornwall to Cumbria, were bustling with tourism and trade.

"Businesses were supported by visitors and local people – and they will be again when our economy can open up.

“Standing by and letting these businesses collapse with the vaccine rollout making huge progress and recovery in sight would be absolutely devastating for business owners and employees who have done the right thing by shutting to help tackle the virus.

“The Government must stand up for local high streets and abandon the sink or swim approach.

"They must urgently confirm they will extend business rates relief to give struggling businesses the breathing room they need.

“We cannot allow these places to be hollowed out.”

The Argus: Ed Miliband unsuccessfully ran for Prime Minister in 2010Ed Miliband unsuccessfully ran for Prime Minister in 2010

Labour crunched Office for National Statistics data to calculate how much towns and cities rely on the hospitality, leisure and retail sectors.

Stats showed that 44 per cent of businesses on the Isles of Scilly relied on visitor, retail and hospitality trade.

A fifth of businesses in Cornwall were in the same position - as well as in Torbay, Devon, and on the Isle of Wight.

While 17 per cent of those in Brighton and Blackpool are also retail, tourism or hospitality reliant.

Labour is urging the government to confirm whether it will extend the 100 per cent business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses for at least another six months.

The reduced VAT rate is set to expire on March 31, when it will return to 20 per cent.

The opposition party also wants the reduced rate of VAT for businesses in the hospitality, tourism and culture sectors to continue and is calling for businesses to be given greater flexibility to manage debt, including using student loan-style arrangements.