Businessman Johnny Chick is unrepentant over his 'burger-munching barbarian dross' attack on Dart mouth Regatta.

As protest letters rolled to the Chronicle, Mr Chick made his point by taking a tongue in cheek sideswipe at the very people he is criticising.

Wearing his 'dross' baseball cap and holding a pint of cider in one hand and a mock-up burger in the other, he declared: 'The reaction has been unbelievable, outstanding.

'It has come from all directions and 99 per cent of the people who have been to see me are 100 per cent behind what I said.'

He claimed that even local councillors and regatta committee members had told him quietly that they sympathised with his comments.

But former mayor of Dartmouth and veteran district councillor Melvyn Stone launched his own attack – against Mr Chick.

'My concerns were about the dross word to start with. I think he was over the top. It is a wonderful regatta which has been going for more than 150 years. I have had no complaints about it whatsoever.

'I think his comments were abrasive.

'It was picked up by people who I meet on the streets of Dartmouth and they were upset about the whole thing.

'Dross is a dreadful word to use in this day and age and I don't think you can really call people that.'

Mr Chick, who runs his Rod O'Reely business in Market Square, launched his attack in the wake of the successful Dartmouth Food Festival which he applauded as a 'quality event'.

He lambasted the regatta air displays and the cheapjack stalls as he claimed the event had grown too large and attracted people he criticised as '50,000 cider-swilling, burger-munching barbarian dross, all freeloading on car boot-style stalls and unnecessary air displays'.

He admitted he had some 'feedback' that his comments had upset some people but no one had come to see him to tell him so.

'People have texted me, emailed me and telephoned me. I have had business people coming to see me and telling me that they close their businesses because of regatta.

'Those that have read my letter and the article are 100 percent in agreement.'