Overview

In 2010 there were nine dive charter boats operating from the Brighton/Newhaven area, these made 1328 dive trips between them in the year with each boat carrying roughly 10 divers, each of which paid about £20 per trip. This represents a total direct dive trip revenue of approximately £265,600 per annum.

Using the breakdown of figures from the HMS Scylla initial economic study1; approximately 48% of these will be visiting for 2 days with 37% staying for 3 or more days.

These divers currently need around 16,200 nights of accommodation in the area; 35% are expected to use hotels, 24% Bed & Breakfast and 17% opting to camp/caravan.

Accommodating the divers currently visiting the area brings in approximately £332,114 per annum to the local economy.

These divers are estimated as spending £405,000 per annum on meals while visiting the area.

This represents an estimated total current income to the local economy of £1,002,714 per annum through servicing the visiting scuba divers.

In 2010 there were five dive centres/dive shops in the Brighton/Newhaven area, all of which were suffering from the down turn in the economy and the general economic decline of the local area.