Local councillor backs Campaign to Save Ashby Tourist Information Centre

By Guest 16th Aug 2021

A campaign to save Ashby's Tourist Information Centre has won the backing of Ashby Labour District and Town Councillor, Dave Bigby.

Ashby Civic Society is running an on-line petition which can be accessed from their website HERE.

"When I heard rumours that the TIC wasn't reopening after Covid, I asked District Council Officers and the responsible Cabinet Member about their accuracy," Cllr. Bigby told Nub News.

"I was most concerned to be told that the TIC will not be re-opening this year and that a report is being prepared on its future.

"It will not be re-opened unless this is recommended by the report.

"The staff have been redeployed to other work.

"The Cabinet Member, Tony Gillard, who represents a Whitwick ward, also told me that: 'If the TIC were able to become self-supporting, this would likely have a major influence on the recommendations made to Cabinet.'

'If you have any ideas how this might be achieved I would be excited to hear them'

Cllr. Bigby continued: "Ashby TIC provides a valuable service to visitors to Ashby, the local businesses who rely on their trade, residents and local community organisations; acting as an important hub for people to find out what's happening around the town.

"The face-to-face contact at a walk-in TIC is an essential part of the service and cannot be replaced by a website, as it seems the Council will be advocating.

"The value of the service is impossible to measure in terms of a simple profit and loss account, as Cllr. Gillard appears to believe.

"Nevertheless, I have asked him for a set of accounts for the TIC to find out just what it costs to run and whether additional income might be generated.

"I made this request three weeks ago and, to date, have not received a reply, so I guess Cllr. Gillard wasn't serious.

"I am now in no doubt that the District Council wishes to shut the TIC permanently to save money and they are going through the motions of producing a report to justify this.

"I would urge everyone in Ashby who values our TIC and sees the future of Ashby as a thriving tourist destination to sign the Civic Society petition now.

"I also call on Ashby Town Council to back the campaign."