A business forum is being launched to improve an area’s safety.

Alex Matthews, the new owner of the A-Bar, is leading the Brighton Gay Business Forum (GBF). He said he wants and all gay hoteliers, bar owners, shops owners and all LGBT people who have their own businesses to help form a new strategy to encourage inter- national tourists to visit Kemp Town.

He said: “In the mid 2000s Brighton was voted best gay tourist destination year after year in the gay press.

“In the present austere times we need to develop a new strategy to make sure that Brighton remains the first choice of LGBT tourists when they arrive in the UK. Our gay bars and gay friendly hotels could be busier mid-week. We need to do something to remedy that. We also need to look at improving St James’ Street so that visitors feel welcome and safe when they visit the city.”

Chris Cooke, chair of the new LGBT community safety forum said the area was not welcoming to tourists.

He said: “Kemp Town is looking a bit shabby. We endorse Mr Matthews’ comments on making improvements to the St. James’s Street area. It’s not a place that tourists and residents feel safe in at the moment.

“There is a problem with street drinking and begging and we have had a number of reports of muggings and assaults.

“We need to tackle that and we need to encourage tourists and their spending power to return to the area. “This is an issue we will be turning our attention to in the months ahead and it is opportune that a new business forum is being established enabling us to collaborate in tackling these pressing community safety issues.”