Tourism businesses in Tenby have backed the town council in a bid to try and keep the resort’s Tourist Information Centre open.

Pembrokeshire County Council is currently consulting on their 2019-20 budget proposals to either cut back or discontinue some functions as they seek to help plug a potential £20 million gap in funding going forward.

Part of the consultation includes whether Tenby TIC should be discontinued or developed as a community/town council service.

At a meeting of the Town Council last week members felt that, with tourism being the town’s main industry, the County Council would be shooting themselves in the foot if the TIC was discontinued.

Councillors had been told that discontinuing the service could save the County Council around £45,000 and one of the ideas suggested that it could located elsewhere in the town and staffed by volunteers.

Members response had been that Tenby was the busiest tourist town in Wales and the centre was very busy all year round. The success of the centre was its location and its knowledgeable and helpful staff. The service provided not only benefited the town, but also the county as a whole.

The same points were made at an urgently convened meeting between the Town Council and over 50 of the town’s tourism sector stakeholders including hoteliers, guest house owners, restaurateurs and publicans on Tuesday evening.

The Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs Sue Lane explained that, while the Town Council had written to the County Council urging them to reconsider the proposal, the council could not be a lone voice. If the town’s tourist industry valued the TIC service, it needed to make its views known to the County Council as soon as possible.

The meeting heard that the TIC could be dealing with upwards of over 300 visitors a day during the summer and staff not only directed visitors to attractions and accommodation but also sold PCC residents parking permits and parking passports, gave out real-time bus and train information and hired out wheelchairs.

It was also pointed out that for Ironman and Long Course weekends they also provided an invaluable service advising on road closures, alternate routes and sourcing accommodation for athletes and spectators who wanted to stay in the area for longer after the events.

All present agreed that every effort should be made to convince the County Council to retain the provision in its current location.

The Chamber of Trade and Tourism and the Licensed Victuallers Association would be sending their collective response objecting to the proposal but all businesses present agreed that they would also make their personal views known to the County Council before the consultation deadline today (Friday, January 18).

They would also make their friends and colleagues in the sector who were unable to attend aware of the situation, urging them to also respond and contact their client base to gain more support for the retention of the facility.

Ideas were also discussed as to how the service could be retained through possible reduction in hours, sponsorship, grant funding and increasing revenue.

It was also suggested that Pembrokeshire Tourism be contacted for their input and that a sub-committee could be formed to look into some of these options.

Although the Town Council had already responded to the consultation, it was agreed that a further letter should be sent to the County Council urging that, should they still wish to press on with proposals to discontinue the service, it be put on hold while ideas were discussed.