Madam, Unlike Nigel Gibbs (TICing timebomb letter last week) I am not enthused about the plan to cram the Ross Tourist Centre into the Market Hall.
It is being presented as some sort of triumph. In fact it is just the opposite. When I was Mayor last year l became aware of strong feelings amongst residents against the idea of transferring the tourist centre to the Heritage Centre. It was argued, and still is, that the Heritage Centre is simply not suitable for tourist visitors.
It is questionable whether there is sufficient space. The room needed for the tourist office will surely curtail the activities of the Heritage Centre in staging exhibitions and meetings for school children.
One alternative suggested to me as Mayor by Richard Mayo, chairman of ART (the Association of Ross Traders which has a vested interest in promoting tourism) was to use the vacant ground floor space at the Corn Exchange. I must admit that I was initially dubious because it didn't seem big enough. So my first step was to ask the staff at the Ross Tourist Centre to come and look for themselves.
Somewhat to my surprise they said it would be suitable, especially as the Town Council was able to offer them some office and storage space on the first floor. Appreciating the need for cost saving, the Town Council decided that it would forego any rent, but simply ask for payments to cover extra heat and lighting.
It seemed an ideal arrangement. The Tourist Office would be located in the centre of the town with very low running costs whilst the Town Council would help play a role in promoting tourism – one of its main objectives.
The deal just needed to be rubber stamped by the appropriate Herefordshire Council cabinet committee. However something went wrong. First of all the Town Council were told of meeting delays. But then everything went quiet until the sudden announcement of an exciting new plan (ie reduced funding) for tourism "development" throughout Herefordshire. This included only a brief mention of the proposal to amalgamate the Ross Tourist and Heritage centres.
Now it is being suggested that the Heritage Centre will be threatened with closure during the quiet months of the year, unless the tourist centre moves in. Whether this is true or not, the priority for Ross is to have a decent tourist centre. Tourism is the life-blood of the town. It needs to be encouraged not curtailed.
After all the hard work it is disappointing the Town Council's low cost way of maintaining Ross Tourist Centre has been ignored. However l am sure the Town Council will support the efforts of any newly formed tourism association in line with its constant efforts to promote the town.
John Edwards, Ross