South coast sunspots Bournemouth and Poole have joined the eurozone to come to the aid of holidaymakers shunning the costly continent this summer.

Hotels and restaurants in the twin resorts have agreed to accept those “spare” euros tucked away in the nation’s sock-drawers since last year.

Tourism directors Mark Smith and Graham Richardson calculate that if half-a-million cash-strapped Brits decide to change their holiday habits this year, and each has just one €20 note stashed away, that’s the best part of £10 million lying idle.

A clutch of top properties have signed up to the scheme, including one of the premium luxury hotel groups in Dorset, FJB Hotels, the über-trendy Urban Beach boutique hotel and the Thistle Hotel on Poole Quay all of whom are giving guests the option of part-paying for their stay with unwanted euros

In Poole, luxury guesthouses Les Bouviers, the Viewpoint and chic bed and breakfast Luminiere, are all happy to accept euros rather than sterling, as are the art deco Cumberland Hotel and Mount Lodge guesthouse in Bournemouth. And more are likely to join the scheme.

“With so many UK holidaymakers likely to shun eurozone countries this summer, there’ll be an awful lot of unwanted euros sitting around in people’s pockets and sock drawers,” says Urban Beach boss Mark Cribb.

“If accepting continental currency adds to our unbeatable holiday value, we’re all for it!”

FJB operates four premium properties, three on Poole’s exclusive Sandbanks peninsula and one, The Chine, overlooking Bournemouth’s spectacular seven-mile beach.

A short stroll from the clifftops, Urban Beach is a stone’s throw from Bournemouth’s long-awaited artificial surf reef.

Guests can pay in euros at the family-friendly Sandbanks Hotel positioned right on Sandbanks’ beach, the stylish Haven Hotel or elegant Harbour Heights, which boasts stunning seaviews across Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island.

“While we’re all hoping for an early end to the economic crisis, the recovery may not come in time for the peak summer season,” says Bournemouth tourism boss Mark Smith.

“Just in case, we’ve teamed up with our colleagues in neighbouring Poole to make summertime livin’ even easier.”

Poole’s Graham Richardson is just as happy with the joint initiative. “It’s a small start, but we’re confident we can sign up lots more hotels and restaurants – after all, every little helps.”