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The future of struggling Brighton Pride has been secured thanks to a £20,000 loan from Brighton and Hove City Council.

Last year’s Pride event led to a £50,000 deficit, which organisers blamed on the recession, rising costs and poor weather.

The shortfall had been met with the council loan and fundraising efforts, which raised £14,000. Cost-cutting measures, such as the cancellation of Brighton’s Winter Pride 2010 and the redundancy of one of the charity’s three full-time staff members, also helped to secure the free event’s future.

Acting Pride chair Robert Clothier said: “With our financial position secured, any uncertainty about this year’s Pride that there may have been is now over.

“We are committed to working with our new production company, Fisher Productions, all our other contractors, local LGBT businesses and community groups to make this year’s Pride festival better than ever before.”

“We have exciting plans for the Pride Parade and the main park event on Saturday 7th August, which will be announced very shortly,” he added.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “This short term bridging loan is support for the restructure of the Pride event as they deliver their 18th Pride in 2010.”

It costs approximately £350,000 to stage Brighton Pride, which is attended annually by tens of thousands of people.

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