Castle wants tourist centre (From Gazette & Herald)

Castle wants tourist centre

COUNCILLORS are to consider moving a Ryedale market town's popular tourist information centre to its historic visitor attraction to cut costs.

In an effort to make up part of a £337,000 budget shortfall, Ryedale District Council officers had suggested that Tourist Information Centres (TICs) at Malton and Helmsley could be closed, saving £120,000 a year.

However, at a budget meeting members decided to look at the possibility of the TICs sharing resources instead of being shut down.

The council has received a proposal from English Heritage, which runs five attractions in Ryedale and eight in the North York Moors, to relocate one TIC from the town hall to Helmsley Castle.

In a £900,000 project, English Heritage opened a contemporary visitor centre in Easter, together with a new audio tour and exhibitions, new artefacts, and improved access.

Jeremy Reed, head of visitor operations for English Heritage, said: "As the operator of several visitor attractions across the Ryedale area, English Heritage fully recognises the value of a thriving tourist information centre for local businesses and communities.

"Positioned close to the town's main visitor car park, the castle is easy to find and offers good facilities and access for all."

The council would pay English Heritage a £20,000 subsidy towards the cost of running the TIC service, and would provide advice and guidance at a cost of £8,140. The council expects to save about £36,570.

Four members of staff who are employed by the council on permanent part-time contracts would be transferred to the employment of English Heritage.

Jean Marsden, who has worked at the Helmsley TIC for 17 years, believes a move from the "hub" of the town centre would have a crippling effect.

Mrs Marsden wrote: "To even consider moving us to the castle when we have many of our visitors not even realising Helmsley has a castle is a rather negative step to take. We shall immediately have a drastic fall in visitors and our income will crash."

The community services and licensing committee will consider the proposal on February 3, and it will also be discussed by the full council on March 3.

If councillors agree, the TIC will relocate and management will be transferred by the end of April.

A new tenant will have to be found for the town hall and until then the council will have to pay the rent.

Updated: 10:29 Saturday, January 29, 2005