A TOURISM chief is urging civic planners to consider building much-needed indoor leisure facilities on a prime Bournemouth town-centre site instead of 20 new restaurants and a multiplex cinema.

Hotelier Allen Stocker, chairman of Bournemouth Area Hospitality Association (BAHA), warned that 20 new eateries could put the livelihoods of existing restaurateurs at risk.

And he voiced fears that Westover Road, once known as the Bond Street of Bournemouth, would suffer if the £50 million restaurant and cinema complex overlooking Bournemouth Gardens does get the go-ahead.

Mr Stocker, director of the three-star Elstead Hotel in Knyveton Road, said: "BAHA has not supported the West Central scheme because we are concerned about the way the building looks and what will happen to Westover Road.

"There are already vacant shop units in Westover Road and losing its two cinema sites will also have an impact on what was once a prime shopping area.

"We lost an ice rink in Westover Road but the temporary rink at the BIC has been a great success. Does that not suggest that developers should be putting an ice rink on the former bus station site?

"What we really need is indoor leisure facilities - not 20 more restaurants which will be part of chains and pose a serious risk to existing small, independent establishments."

He added: "I think we have probably reached saturation point as far as new clubs, bars and restaurants are concerned but that is what all the prime town-centre sites are being used for. I am not a planner or an architect but, in my mind, this site screams out for an ice-rink."

Boscombe hotelier and BAHA executive officer Debbie Utteridge said: "This is a really prominent site and there is a superb opportunity to get it right."

Chris Milne, of West Central developer Licet Holdings, said: "Obviously it was not the decision we had hoped for, but we were encouraged by the positive tone of the meeting and broad consensus that West Central adds a facility that's very much needed and wanted.

"Some issues were raised which we will be working through, in close consultation with the council. Mainly we will be looking at ways to address the comments about softening the external appearance fronting on to Exeter Road and the process has already started."

David Huck, commercial director for property agent Goadsby, said that West Central was designed to provide an all-weather facility for casual, family and fine dining together with a multiplex cinema and that there had been strong interest from "leading national operators".

Licet hopes revised plans will be finalised by the early autumn.