A MAJOR annual conference could be set to quit Blackpool, The Citizen can reveal.

The National Union of Students (NUS) will consider dropping the resort in favour of a 'more cost effective' venue as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

A decision is likely to be taken at its annual conference next year.

More than 1,000 delegates attend the four-day, midweek conference at the Winter Gardens, which has taken place each April for more than 20 years. NUS press officer, Dan Ashley, told the Citizen: "Plans are in the pipeline to look at ways of reducing the cost of all NUS conferences, including the big April annual meeting.

"This does not necessarily mean we will be leaving Blackpool for good. There are a number of other ways we can cut costs including reducing delegate numbers and cutting back on food bills.

"But there is a possibility that we will very shortly be looking at other, more cost effective, conferencing centres in towns and cities across the UK." He added: "Each year the NUS conference seems to get bigger and bigger, with more delegates. It has now got to the stage where we can't realistically continue to shoulder the costs as well as feeding and watering more than a 1,000 delegates in the same way for much longer."

A spokesman for Winter Gardens owner, Leisure Parcs, said: "The NUS is contracted to hold the annual conference here until 2007. We have had no indication of any consideration about relocation. The NUS have always expressed their satisfaction with the venue."

The news is another blow for the resort, with both Conservative and Labour parties also seriously considering dropping the resort from their conference schedule.

As well as boosting the local economy, the NUS event has also brought national attention to the resort, with former Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres speaking at last year's conference and TV cameras flocking to this year's event as it coincided with a key parliamentary vote on tuition fees.

It has lead one local councillor to renew calls for an assessment of future conference and exhibition needs in the town.

Cllr Steven Bate said: "This is shocking news but not very surprising. For a year I have been asking that councillors be allowed to plan and scrutinise the future conference and exhibition requirements that Blackpool needs.

"Blackpool is heading for total disaster. The people in charge of our future are actively discouraging the type of events our type of visitors like."