PUBS and nightclubs in Worcester could be provided with a new advertising board to make up for a ban on them handing out flyers.

The leader of Worcester City Council, Simon Geraghty, says he is keen to ensure the `night-time economy' is not harmed by the new ban, which will see businesses fined £80 if they are caught handing out flyers in the city centre.

Coun Geraghty is to consult with local businesses about joint funding for the advertising board somewhere in the city to let revellers know what is on each night. The offer is an olive branch to Worcester venues that fear they will lose out on customers because of the new flyer ban.

Coun Geraghty said: "This idea is aimed at making sure we make the most of our night-time economy.

"What we could have is a public information board for these venues, somewhere central like at The Cross.

"It could be run by one club in partnership with all the others, for example. It's just an idea that I'm floating out there because it seems a good way of doing things. Other councils across the country have done this and it seems to have worked, so we could bring it to Worcester. It could be an electronic board.

"How we actually physically go about it is something we need to work on. We know we are going to be clamping down on flyers, so it's time to think about a more logical approach."

Paul Todd, who is one of the owners of Sin in the city's New Street, said they would stop handing out flyers once their current batch runs out.

He added: "It would be nice to have several information boards because one wouldn't be enough as people coming into the city who don't know the area are not specifically going to know where to look.

"I think the location will be very important - an ideal one would be on The Cross because it's the busiest for footfall."

The Worcester News reported last week how the city council had approved the flyer ban, which includes placing leaflets on car windscreens. The ban does not apply to flyers created for charity, religious or political purposes.

It will become official once it has been advertised in public for legal purposes.