IS the controversial Solar Pyramid only being considered as a remedy to restore the ailing fortunes of Poole Quay?

This was the question posed to Borough of Poole Strategic Director Jim Bright following his comments in a email forwarded to the Echo by a reader this week.

In it he states: "The Quayside development has not come forward in the way originally envisaged and is generating only a fraction of the visitors the Quay once enjoyed.

"This is certainly having an impact on the economic conditions along the Quay and the lower end of the High Street.

"The ability of an attraction such as the Solar Pyramid to attract additional visitors to any location (ie over and above those who currently visit an area) would need to be tested through a proper piece of economic research," he added.

Poole Quay was once the jewel in the town's tourism crown with the Poole Pottery factory tour drawing 1.5million visitors a year at its peak.

But the loss of the factory and the quayside oceanarium, have had a knock-on effect, sending visitor numbers spiralling downwards over the last few years. Pottery visitors were down to 808,725 even by 2002.

Poole Tourism manager Graham Richardson said traders had reported an extended period of decline which seemed to have finally levelled off over the last 12 months.

He said: "The numbers visiting the quay have declined over the last 10 years. It has lost a couple of attractions, but we are looking at ways of bringing those people back where we can."

Of the Quayside development, where just a handful of the 27 retail units have been taken years after the complex was completed, Mr Richardson said: "The original plans for a retail and leisure destination are still some way to being achieved, but operators are starting up in there, which is encouraging."

He added: "I think the feeling is people would like to see some form of attraction - something that would give a boost to the local economy, not just tourism, but local retailers and businesses as well."

Tourism chiefs have already said the proposed 40-45 metre sundial could bring 400,000 visitors to the town and give a £20m boost to the economy.

A location has yet to be determined, but the proposal has been strongly linked to Harbourside Park (Baiter) - the only named site so far - provoking widespread outrage amongst residents.

Lib Dem councillor Philip Eades said: "This economic argument is the only argument in favour of it - we keep hearing footfall on the Quay and the High Street has declined so much.

"Even if traders are struggling, this isn't the answer - desecrating this open space is not the answer," he added.

When asked about a link between the Solar Pyramid at Baiter Park and the Quay, Mr Bright insisted the plans were in the earliest stage of evaluation and refused to be drawn on specifics.

He said: "The exploration of a potential tourist attraction is driven by the fact that here's a sector of employment with 4,800 jobs and £200m income.

"If the council wants to realise economic potential, it needs to be open to considering any possibility that can support conditions to improve circumstances around that sector," he added.

But he confirmed trade on the quay had suffered: "I think what's absolutely clear is that there are less visitors to the lower High Street and Quay than there used to be and that's creating difficult trading circumstances for some businesses."