The Whitby and District Business Development Agency (BDA) has lost more than half its turnover due to problems with Government funding and made a plea for help in last Friday's Whitby Gazette.

A meeting was held last Tuesday at St Hilda's Business Centre on The Ropery to discuss how it can best serve businesses in the town and to see if they too had any suggestions.

Chief executive officer Tom Saunders said: "The input from the meeting was extremely constructive and helpful and in some cases innovative. The BDA is actively pursuing the likely and most productive ideas.

"Resulting from the meeting, six pledges of financial support were made, ranging from small amounts up to £1,000.

"This is a start but we still need considerable further support. Our 2,000 client base of companies helped by us in the past 10 years are the people from whom we would like pledges of help.

"The delayed Government contracts in the pipeline, which are now at least six months late, when up and running would enable us to continue our support of the next 2,000 clients over the next 10 years."

A further meeting is planned in the near future.

The not-for-profit BDA was set up 25 years ago with the aim of improving the economic prosperity of the area and creating job opportunities.

It provides help with grant applications and training for both start-up and existing businesses.