COACH companies have been told it's safe to come to Morecambe despite a spate of vandalism attacks on coaches. Last week the Citizen reported that some coach companies had threatened to stop coming to the resort because of the attacks. But the city council's Tourism Service have made arrangements with Frontierland (where some of the attacks occurred) to provide secure coach parking space. The car park is already monitored by CCTV cameras and is staffed until midnight but now the Tourism Service is paying for additional security staff to patrol the area until the morning.

And hoteliers like Paul Bury of the Lothersdale Hotel are to be part of a working committee designed to ensure that the coach companies, who bring in about £3 million worth of business to Morecambe a year, are never put off the resort again.

Mr Bury said: "It's good that the council moved pretty quickly on this. Now we want to make sure that tourists and companies can feel safe when they come here.

"They told me that they are paying for security over the next month or so and the police are going to patrol the area. This is a step in the right direction but there is probably a little bit of scope for improvement. I'm glad they seem to realise just how much the coaching business means to Morecambe."

Bill Thorpe of the Belle View Hotel added: "The council gets quite a knocking but in this case they've been quick to respond and deserve to be praised for their efforts."

Chairman of the Tourism Service, Cllr Janice Hanson, commented: "We have acted quickly to try and ensure that coach companies can safely leave coaches in Morecambe overnight. Coach holidays are important to the resort and this trade must not be jeopardised by criminals damaging vehicles."

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