PLANS to impose high taxes on super casinos should encourage the survival of family-run arcades in seaside towns.

But as critics attack the move as too little to late, local amusement arcade owners have welcomed the news.

The Chancellor is to announce a new set of charges on super-casinos in today's budget, with the extra money used to abolish tax on small-scale gaming machines.

The money will help smaller, family-run businesses that rely on the gambling trade for survival.

Saltburn Pier Entertainments has been in the Camfield family for 25 years - taken over in the early 1980s by Barry Camfield.

His son Boyd, 36, now runs the business after starting out in the trade at 16.

Mr Camfield said the news was positive and would keep seaside arcades alive.

He said: "I think it is fantastic and it is definitely long overdue.

"We seem to get hit all the time with taxes on certain machines - it's about time the Government saw the potential of seaside amusements.

"If we were not here, what would seaside towns have other than cafes and bars? We are a big part of the British seaside tradition.

"The casinos are for the hard-core gambling side of things. We are trying to move away from that - we are a more family-orientated leisure entertainment.

"Things have slowed down a bit but, on the whole, we have built up our customers who come back with their family year after year."