THE stand-off between the Northumbria Tourist Board and the regional development agency One Northeast is in danger of causing irreparable harm to the region's tourism industry.

The two organisations are meant to be working together but have signally failed to reach any form of acceptable working arrangements since One Northeast was given the responsibility - and the cash - for leading the tourism industry in the region.

The tourist board - historically one of England's most effective - is disinclined to take a back seat and clearly still wants to have a major role to play. One Northeast is equally adamant that it doesn't want the tourist board acting as a shadow body. The war of words has escalated through December and there were more fireworks at a meeting called by the tourist board in Barnard Castle on Wednesday evening.

Seeing through all the heated rhetoric is difficult but we should move beyond attribution of blame for this mess. The Country Land and Business Association has offered to act as mediator in the row, which is a measure of how concerned some people are. One of the parties has to give ground and, as the senior partner with its hands on the purse strings, the onus is surely on One Northeast to make a move, recognising the strength of the tourist board's membership and the expertise of its staff.

Last year was good year for tourism in rural areas in particular after the debacle of foot-and-mouth. This unseemly row threatens to undo all the good work.