FAILURE to dredge the port has left traders reeling at the loss of a major money-spinning event.

Europe's biggest classic boat race, the Race of the Classics, will not bring its 700 wealthy Dutch finance students to Ramsgate Harbour this month.

Last April the students ran up a £3,000 bar bill at The Royal Temple Yacht Club in just two hours as well as spending their time and money in surrounding bars and restaurants.

The organisers' website says: "This year because of the dredging of the port and the construction of the wind farm, unfortunately it is not possible to put on an event in Ramsgate."

Disappointed traders and residents have set up The Ramsgate Harbour Impact Group to try to force an improvement in dredging to remove silt, and to get pontoons improved without disruption.

Hotel and bar owner Frank Thorley, who owns the Oak Hotel on Ramsgate's waterfront, said: "We have a meeting with Thanet council this week where I hope we can work things out. We'd be gutted if they are not going to come."

In 2008 The Race of the Classics organisers gave Ramsgate a wide berth because of the levels of silt in the harbour. That same year a Royal Navy boat was delayed by low water and high silt levels in the harbour.

Royal Temple Yacht Club secretary and spokesman for the group Hugh Cripps said Thanet council need to dredge the harbour.

He added: "There is a dredger clearing the port but not the harbour. Ever since the harbour has been built there has always been a need to dredge it. You have to keep on top of it and it is something that needs to be done all the time. Thanet council need to dredge the harbour and regularly maintain it. We've lost thousands of pounds because of this."

Thanet council has a statement on its website that the works, including repairs to the pontoon and dredging, will not be finished until mid-May.

Head of regeneration at Thanet council Councillor Roger Latchford said: "The Tall Ships won't come this year. The Tall Ships do not know what port they will stop at in advance because they are governed by wind and tides. We told them we cannot accept them this year."

A disappointed Mr Cripps said: "I think this work to the pontoons should have been done in the winter to avoid loss of trade. The tall ships will now go to Ipswich or Lowestoft. They have been coming here for the past 20 years and now it's too late to salvage the trip to the harbour."

Former RTYC commodore Davina Green stressed the campaign is not just about the tall ships.

She said: "We've been struggling to get the harbour dredged for a long time. Yachts can't get in and out of the harbour unless it's high tide.

"We've got the regatta coming up and I think the council has to sort it out, or we may have to cancel another event."

A Thanet council spokesman said: "Since 2004, the Race of the Classics has only visited Ramsgate on three occasions. In all other years, they have been unable to visit due to adverse weather.

"The council is giving priority to scheduling in maintenance work at the marina and accommodating the wind farm vessels, which is important for the long-term future of the port.

"The contract for dredging is currently out to tender and that work will be carried out to ensure that we can accommodate the Dunkirk Little Ships in late May, which attract considerable press interest in Ramsgate.

"The first priority for dredging work was the port, so that we could ensure that the new ferry could operate."

The decision regarding the Race of the Classics was taken jointly by Robert Brown, interim assistant harbour master, and Brian White, director of economic development and regeneration.

What do you think? Has Thanet council done enough to keep the harbour in top shape? E-mail newsdesk.thanet@krnmedia.co.uk or write to the address on this page.