Aberystwyth businesses are to be asked if they will fund £7,000 towards the cost of bringing cycling’s Tour Series back to the town.

An appeal for help has gone out after a business group again turned down a request to fund the whole event which could cost a total of £60,000 to stage.

Last year’s event only went ahead after a last-minute deal that saw organisers of the Tour Series drop their fee and Aberystwyth Town Council and AberCycleFest stump up the cash.

That could be the case again this year after Ceredigion County Council warned it may not have the money to fund the event and Business Improvement District company Advancing Aberystwyth again voting against providing the full amount of funding.

A survey has been launched to see if businesses would pay the same £7,000 in sponsorship they provided last year.

An email to businesses from the company said: “Advancing Aberystwyth have been approached by Ceredigion County Council to provide funding for the 2019 Tour Series Event (as part of CycleFest).

“Last year we voted against funding this event, however, provided sponsorship in the sum of £7,000.

“Our board of directors have once again voted not to fund the whole event in 2019, however, they would like levy-payers to give their opinion on whether £7,000 should be given once again as sponsorship.”

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday