A seaside council has missed out on £200,000 of income after deciding not to rent out deckchairs, in case they are used to attack staff.
The ban in Bournemouth was blamed on anti-social behaviour and the chairs potentially being used as weapons.
For decades tourists had been able to hire the 3,500 council-owned deckchairs while enjoying trips to the beach.
But the yellow and blue canvas chairs have now been locked away over fears they could be used to attack council staff.
Lid Dem councillor Vikki Slade claims the decision was taken after the resort was overrun with visitors during lockdown.
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She said: “I asked the question about the absence of deckchairs and sun loungers and expected the reasoning to be because of Covid - but the response I got was that it had nothing to do with that.
“They said it was because they had anti-social behaviour last year and they were concerned about the safety of staff and the possibility of chairs being used as weapons.
“I was mortified by the stupidity of the excuse - I thought they were joking or that someone had made a mistake, so I contacted them three times but got the same response.
“When I asked about the financial impact, they said they had adjusted the budget by £200,000 - it’s just the most wasteful, lazy, and ridiculous excuse.
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“An officer said to me, ‘well there are 600 benches close to the beach so there are plenty of places for people to sit.’ But you can’t just plonk granny on the promenade.”
The bizarre ban has been brought in at Bournemouth, Dorset, where deckchairs have been rented out for over 100 years.
The resort was swamped by hundreds of thousands of tourists last June and July and several fights broke out on the promenade.
Council bosses feared the deckchairs could be used during brawls, similar to the Mods and Rockers fights of the 60s.
Ms Slade added: “I was council leader last year and I don’t recall any situations where people were fighting with deckchairs.
“Even if that were the case, you don’t just get rid of the chairs - you increase security or have police patrolling the beach.
“Deckchairs were first introduced to British beaches in 1855 - 150 years ago.
“People have hired them literally forever. They are synonymous with the seaside.
“How can the council present Bournemouth as a day-tripping destination without them?”
A spokesperson for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council said: “As part of our seasonal response planning earlier in the year, the decision was made not to hire out our deckchairs or sun loungers this year.
“The wellbeing and safety of our staff, residents and visitors was a priority in this decision.
“Unfortunately Covid-19 brought a lot of issues to the forefront last year, with the overcrowding on the beaches and the subsequent problems that arose prompting us to make these necessary changes.
“The seasonal response budget that was put in place to help with these challenges has enabled us to successfully reopen in line with government guidance, with visitors once again enjoying our beautiful coastline.”
It is understood the deckchairs and sun loungers will be returned to the beach next year.
