Brighton and Hove City Council leader Ken Bodfish has warned seaside bars which encourage binge drinking could be charged for clearing up the mess their customers leave.

His comments came as tourism experts today warned that resorts pandering to drink-fuelled parties risk becoming no-go zones for ordinary families.

He said: "It is something that concerns me greatly that the binge-drinking culture does exist and I don't understand it."

A report launched last month by The Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership and the city council warned drunken disorder is posing a threat to the £382 million tourism industry in the city.

Coun Bodfish was giving his reaction to a speech by Alan Woods, chief executive of clean beach campaigners Blue Flag, who said: "Businesses who are making a mint out of extra opening hours, should also pay an extra levy to clean up the mess left on the streets by their customers."

Councillor Bodfish said: "I agree with that entirely, which is why we have been talking about business improvement districts, whereby all the traders come together and pay a particular levy which helps towards additional clearing up."

There are 22 areas in England and Wales where business improvement districts (BIDs) are being established but Brighton and Hove is not yet signed up to the idea.

Under the scheme, traders in small areas such as city centres, stretches of beaches and even single streets, vote on whether to agree to pay extra rates for additional cleaning.

The idea has received the backing of Brighton Central MP David Lepper, who chairs the national standing committee on BIDs.

He said: "I hope Brighton and Hove will give some serious thought to it. "

Chris Auf Der Mauer, of the Fortune of War, said: "It is true that when people come out of here they have flyers and plastic cups falling all over the place and I suppose it would be good to keep the area clean.

"But we already pay for quite a lot of things and if you ask the majority of people to spend more money, they wouldn't be keen."