TOURIST attractions in York and Scarborough have blamed a sea life attraction in Hull for a slump in their profits.

Attractions owned by Merlin Entertainments claim that Hull's millennium project The Deep, has taken a percentage of their customers since its opening in 2002.

As a charity and a millennium project The Deep, which received an initial £22 million in funding, is eligible for further money that privately-run attractions Scarborough Sea Life Centre and The York Dungeon are not.

But Iain Hawkins, attraction manager of Scarborough Sea Life Centre, says his takings have dropped by ten per cent since the opening of The Deep, and he cannot compete with the funding the attraction receives.

He said: "When one attraction is getting all that funding, how can any one attraction in York or Scarborough compete with something of that magnitude?"

The Deep has applied for a further £6.5m from the Millennium Commission to expand its educational facilities.

Now Mr Hawkins fears another injection of money into The Deep could have serious repercussions on the future of tourism in York and North Yorkshire.

He claims areas like York are classed as "honey pots", and are not eligible for some funding because they are deemed to attract visitors based on their own merits as a city.

He added: "It's all extremely unfair. I don't mind new attractions opening and bringing new visitors to the area as long as it's on a level playing field."

Helen Douglas, attraction manager at The York Dungeon, said she had noticed a decline in visitors since The Deep opened.

She said: "It's very unfair that they can get a large amount of tax payers' money. I really think they shouldn't be allowed the further £6.5 million they've applied for."

A spokeswoman for York's National Railway Museum said the museum's visitor figures were up by 30 per cent from the year before.

Colin Brown, chief executive at The Deep, said: "We simply don't accept that we are in competition with sea life centres any more than cinemas, Magna or anywhere else. They're completely different attractions. We advertise as the world's only 'submarium.' We aren't simply a fish zoo."

Shabana Pathan, communications officer for the Millennium Commission, said all Millennium Projects had been invited to apply for certain grants.

Updated: 10:07 Thursday, June 26, 2003