MAIN Place marketing man John McLaughlin has hit out at officials for always playing safe after his £373,000 bid to boost the Forest economy was turned down.

The former regeneration chief had spent more than eight months working on a bid to set up a community interest company to promote the Dean and its towns.

He believes the Local Action Group (LAG) is so worried about Defra they turned down his bid of £270,000 towards the cost of the Welcome programme.

Now he says Coleford Area Partnership has contributed enough and it is up to other towns to pick up the baton.

"There's no point in pursuing the programme any further," said John who is bitterly disappointed.

"It was an ambitious programme but given that it has not come to fruition, it would be inappropriate for me to spend any more time on it.

"Sometimes it is important to take risks to be able to deliver significant contributions to the towns and communities they serve, but there is very little risk taking in this LAG."