RELOCATING the Tourist Information Centre will ‘rip the heart’ out of Malvern, that is the view of the vice-chairman of the town’s civic society.
John Dixon slammed the district council’s plans to move the Church Street-based service to the community centre on Avenue Road as an ‘utterly crazy idea’ at last Tuesday’s policy and resources committee meeting at Malvern Town Council.
He also stated the proposal to move the TIC, which has been at Church Street since 1996, was not a ‘reasonable way forward’, claiming it would have a detrimental effect on tourism.
“Malvern is a declining town, certainly in terms of its commercial and retail life,” he said.
“Its only hope is to rely on its chief assets which are the hills and its Victorian heritage.”
He also said they seemed the only ways to bring tourists to the town because without tourists Malvern would not succeed.
“The TIC, where it is, is in an utterly superb position to support the tourist trade of Malvern,” he added.
“In some ways it is the heart of the town and I see you [the district council] ripping the heart out of Malvern.”
Members of the public and town councillors also expressed fears of moving the service which attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Coun Paul Tuthill said the district council should be ‘ashamed’ of their ‘poor decision’ while Coun Jeremy Thomas added the TIC was a ‘valuable’ part of the town.
Afterwards, town councillors voted in favour of forming a working party to meet with the district council and express their fears over the relocation.
But district councillors unanimously approved moving the TIC in September last year and it was also agreed the building on the current site would be put up for rent or sale.
And Malvern Hills District Council leader Coun Phil Grove insisted moving the TIC was still the intention.
He said: “This remains our preferred option subject to receiving the necessary planning permissions and approval from Historic England.
“Not only will it help save the council £100,000-a-year in running costs but it will also secure its long-term future, as well as bringing it closer to Great Malvern Railway Station and Priory Road Car Parks, which are well-used by visitors.”
