Search for new visitor centre operator

Two years ago Richmondshire District Council controversially pulled the plug on £130,000 funding for tourist information centres in Richmond and Leyburn, saying it was replacing them with tourist information points which would be run by other organisations.

However, Richmond’s Tourist Information Centre, based in Friary Gardens, shut its doors this week after the Richmondshire Leisure Trust (RLT) announced it did not wish to continue with its plans to run it and the café, that is also part of the centre at the Victoria Road roundabout.

The decision leaves the area where the visitor industry is worth £184m a year to Richmondshire’s economy without a centre in the run-up to Easter. However last night Richmondshire District Council said it was working hard to get the centre back up and running in time for the Easter season and said it will put in place temporary arrangements until a new operator is found.

It is planned to re-open the centre by March 23 with a team of volunteers running the information service.

The RLT was awarded the contract after an open tender offer and took over the centre last July, leasing the building from the district council, and using volunteers for its day-to-day operation.

Coun John Blackie, council leader, said: “We will be advertising the building again as a business opportunity, and will consider all plans put forward.”

He said he expected to see a new operator in place no later than the spring bank holiday in May.

The tourism industry in the region supports 4,500 jobs during the peak season.