A biostatic coating comprising a coating composition which on drying produces an intrinsically hydrophobic film. The coating composition includes a biocidal complex A-B in which A is a phenolic biocide and B is selected from polyvinylpyrrolidone (“PVP”), PVP polymers, PVP copolymers and mixtures thereof. The coating composition for example is selected from acrylic and methacrylic polymer based compositions, acrylic and methacrylic copolymer based compositions, vinyl polymer based compositions, vinyl copolymer based compositions, epoxy resins, epoxy esters, and mixtures thereof. Suitable biocides for use in the invention include, but are not limited to complexes of PVP or PVP copolymer with triclosan; diclosan; dichlorophen; orthophenylphenol; orthobenzylparachlorophenol, cresols, xylols, and substituted diphenyl ethers.