AN outspoken critic of the company set up to steer West Somerset's tourism industry has lost his seat on its board of directors. Watchet businessman John Richards failed to get re-elected at the annual meeting of Visit Exmoor, an organisation of which he is a founder member. Fellow founder member Roger Barbee, from Porlock, who had spoken out against criticism of Mr Richards, also lost his seat and William Wake, property manager of the National Trust-owned Dunster Castle failed to get elected in a first-time bid for a directorship. Months of internal wrangling within the company, which has a partnership with West Somerset Council and the Exmoor National Park Authority, spilled over at the meeting, held in Exford. Mr Richards, who was also company secretary, had been unhappy for some time about staff seconded to the organisation from both authorities and had also raised questions over funding and other issues. But he claimed there had been a "witch hunt" to remove him from the board and described the annual meeting as "appalling". "It was so bad that several people walked out and others asked for it to be adjourned," said Mr Richards. "This is not sour grapes on my behalf but a genuine concern about the future, having literally given thousands of hours over the last six years getting tourism this far." Mr Richards claimed he was the only director representing areas outside the national park and had not been "popular with the national park authority for always emphasising that point". But at the meeting he alleged he was the subject of a personal verbal attack by a number of people, including outgoing chairman Ron Morrison-Smith. "Several Visit Exmoor members at the meeting were unhappy about what they saw as 'dirty linen' being washed in public but although I did respond in part I was not prepared to get into a slanging match," said Mr Richards. Mr Richards, who is still involved with the production of the Exmoor Coast and Country publication, said his concern was for West Somerset's tourism. "We have done nothing for it," he said. More than 50 people attended the meeting, which saw five new directors appointed - Cathy Doel, owner of the George Hotel in South Molton, Linda Hatch, from Minehead's Sunfield Hotel, Clive Knight, a tourism marketing consultant based in Brushford, Cliff Nicholson, of Spears Cross Hotel in Dunster, and Loretta Whetlor, who runs a self- catering business in Watchet. In a statement issued on behalf of Visit Exmoor, a spokesman said the new appointees brought a wealth of tourism and business acumen to the partnership, in addition to representing a wide geographical spread of Exmoor and the surrounding area. The existing directors re-elected were Mike Ellicott, of Stockleigh Lodge, Exford, Paul Spratley, of West Lyn Farmhouse near Lynton, Johanna Webb, from East Anstey, and Aron Cody-Butcher, of Somerset Consulting. The two directors representing the partners, the council and the national park authority, are Steven Pugsley and Mr Morrison-Smith. The company's statement went on to say that once a new chairman and company secretary had been chosen - a meeting of directors was due to be held last night (Thursday) - the board would be anxious to get on with the task of directing the work programme, formulating policies for Visit Exmoor and representing the tourism industry in the area at local, regional and national levels. "A marketing review carried out over the summer months will be debated by the board and they will decide how best to move forward with marketing and other activities. "A new look website and a nationwide PR and advertising campaign are expected to put Exmoor and its environs on the map." Visit Exmoor's performance came under fire last month from West Somerset's MP Ian Liddell- Grainger, who has urged Minehead and the coastal strip to "go it alone" in the fight to attract tourists. This week he told the Free Press he believed the company was now "drinking at the last chance saloon". "It mustn't keep on writing papers about how to attract tourists here - it must go out and get them," said Mr Liddell-Grainger. "Visit Exmoor has a chance to sort itself out and it is going to have to perform. "It cannot go on paying lip service to tourism, which is our biggest industry. "I am very keen to meet with the board of directors to ensure that the Quantocks, the Brendons and Minehead are included in the Visit Exmoor brief. "But I am concerned because, at the moment, very little seems to have been achieved."