Councillor Kemble seems unaware that the sad demise of Mamma Cherri’s reflects a wider malaise among the small businesses in Brighton and Hove.

Average customer spend is down, footfall is down and the inability to travel easily into the city deters customers from visiting.

The once thriving George Street in Hove has been decimated since Tesco opened up, while Church Road has more boarded up shops now than in the past ten years.

The current administration need to do something more drastic than defer business rates, although I worry it lacks the creativity or foresight to imagine how to attract businesses and customers back.

I urge Brighton and Hove City Council not to spend any more money on “consultants” to tell it that the city is in trouble.

I recently visited Worthing town centre and was shocked to see just what years of Tory neglect can do.

Lawrence Eke
Chairman of the Brighton and Hove Liberal Democrats