Cash collected from the town's business community was more than 50 per cent down on the previous year coming in at under £45,000, according to council figures.

The Illuminations generate more than £260m for the local economy annually, while costing around £2.4m to stage.

More of the burden is having to be shouldered by Blackpool Council, and therefore the taxpayer.

But traders are blaming a drop in visitor numbers for their inability to donate as much.

John Isaacs, chairman of Blackpool Pub Watch and landlord of the Dutton Arms, has donated to the fund in the past but will not be donating this year.

He said: "Fewer people are coming to Blackpool now so it's a big knock-on effect and nobody can afford to put money into the Illuminations."

Biggest

John Crighton, area manager of The Town and City Bar Company, which owns six pubs in Blackpool, said: "Once the Illuminations were the cream on top of our cake, now they're the only thing keeping us afloat.
That probably means we should be giving more, but trading is tremendously difficult so it's a bit out of the question."

The Blackpool Combined Association (BCA), a collective of local hoteliers who raised £4,000 for the Illuminations fund last year, will once again be collecting on the Prom and staging their fundraising ball.

But small businesses are demanding to know how much the town's biggest attractions donate.

Chairman of the BCA Lynn Cole said: "Businesses other than hoteliers have to realise that we all need to pull together."

Maxine Callow, cabinet member for tourism and regeneration, agreed that all businesses need to donate more.

She said: "If small businesses gave only £5 it would be better than nothing.

"We rely on contributions from the business sector but we must not forget it's a voluntary fund."