BEALES boss Tony Brown has come under a storm of criticism for his outspoken attack on Bournemouth’s Christmas market.

Councillors and retailers accused him of creating an excuse for alleged poor sales figures at the department store chain.

They attacked him during Monday’s meeting of the town’s chamber of trade after he said the market was all about “burgers, booze and tat”.

Peter Matthews, the manager of Castlepoint, said: “He is probably 20 per cent down and he can’t get the punters in. That’s how retailers behave.”

Mark Ellson, owner of Copyplus, said: “It’s a bit rich when he is turning his own store into a discount store with those horrible posters in the window.”

Cllr Bob Chapman agreed, saying: “It’s letting the town centre down badly.”

Mr Brown had argued for a family-focused Christmas event in the Gardens but many at the meeting thought his criticism was too outspoken.

Cllr John Beesley, said: “We can’t afford for him to periodically slate the town when he makes no contribution towards us going forward.”

Mark Smith, head of tourism, suggested Mr Brown had “shot himself in the foot”.

Mr Brown was not at the meeting.

He told the Echo afterwards it was “absolutely absurd” to suggest his criticism was an excuse for alleged poor sales figures and defended the look of the store.

He said: “Over the past two years at the Bournemouth store, for the first time in 10 years, we have seen year-on-year growth.”

He said criticism behind closed doors could only go so far while public criticism created pressure that often worked.

“We did lots of work with the Echo on car parking,” said Mr Brown.

“The net result was people’s behaviour changed and car parking prices came down.”

He said: “We have been talking to the council and town centre management to try and improve the offer at Christmas, and as you can see we haven’t gone a long way.

“This is about making Bournemouth a better place to shop.”

He stressed the company’s charitable donations, work with colleges and sixth-forms, and his own efforts to talk up the town.

“I think I am putting my money where my mouth is,” added Mr Brown.

He also offered to resign from a business panel in the wake of the attacks.

He sits on the Multi Area Agreement Board, which is supposed to bring investment to Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset.

Pam Donnellan, the chief executive of Bournemouth Council said: “It concerns me because he doesn’t have the support of the majority traders in our area. “We need someone who is promoting the town for the future and who is careful about concerns that they might have.”

Mr Brown said the MAAB board was about much broader issues than retail in Bournemouth, and that if Pam Donnellan was suggesting he should resign, he would do it.

“I don’t get paid for it,” he said.

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