Brighton and Hove - European Capital of Culture 2008. Yes! Doesn't it have a wonderful ring to it!

In spite of my regular criticism of so much that is wrong here, it is well meant criticism. I want nothing but the very best for this potentially glorious resort of ours.

To win this accolade would bring huge benefits and international acclaim, and it does not depend on achieving City status.

Capital of Culture? For those who have never heard of it, the title was first awarded in 1985. It was then, and still is, called the European City of Culture but changes its name to Capital of Culture from 2005 onwards.

Athens was the first winner. It gives a city a real chance to strut its stuff on the international stage for a whole year.

Brighton has 18 months to think it through before bidding. The winner will be announced in spring 2003.

We absolutely must go for it.

This town of ours will be thrust into the spotlight as never before. All the imagination, innovation and creativity of the artistic community will be challenged to provide a year-long calendar of events.

The Brighton Festival would probably become the heart of the festivities. What luck it is already one of the finest festivals in the country, thanks to the work of the recently departed director Chris Barron and his chairman Sir Michael Checkland.

By coincidence, Chris Barron has gone to Glasgow, which had a hugely successful year as City of Culture in 1990.

Always culturally outgunned by Edinburgh, Glasgow completely reinvented itself for the year with a stunning series of events.

It built a fine, new concert hall to commemorate the achievement. Because of the international interest aroused, the city has benefited financially ever since.

In Brighton of course, we already have a splendid new concert hall - or, at least, we will in a year's time.

The Dome arts complex will be a spectacular hub for the year as European Capital of Culture to revolve around.

And the two piers will be a unique part of the town's bid for glory - always assuming that some unforeseen disaster does not put an end to the hopes of rebuilding the West Pier. The work seems to be proceeding depressingly slowly.

However, there is a fundamental problem in the town I have alluded to on previous occasions when I have written about the Brighton Festival.

It is the inability or the reluctance of the business community here to come together and really support the cultural life of the town.

In spite of the fact that the festival attracts a great deal of business - and a year as European Cultural Capital could be a goldmine - Brighton business groups are riddled with self-interested factions, thinking small and thinking parochially.

It is time to wake up to the enormous potential of this opportunity. It is time to start thinking big.