Tourist info row flares up

THE row over essential enquiries on Bexhill tourism being diverted to Battle escalated this week.

From April 1 all telephone calls relating to Bexhill attractions will be dealt with in the grounds of Battle Abbey.

The official line is that no-one locally was prepared to pick up Rother council's 30,000 a year offer to continue to run an information centre here.

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Last week Bexhill Chamber of Commerce and Tourism said it was "appalled" by the Battle move.

It labelled the move "a backward step."

Battle is set to reap the benefits. Battle Chamber of Commerce president Nick Acuna said: "This could have a positive effect on tourism for Battle."

Rother leader Graham Gubby said nobody came forward when the Bexhill job was put out to tender.

Responding to the Observer's coverage, Old Town councillor Stuart Wood said no-one could afford to take on the role for the sum being offered.

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And the Society of Bexhill Museums said its offer to run a tourist information centre (TIC) from its Egerton Park premises had not been taken up.

The current centre, on Marina, closes today.

Cllr Wood, deputy leader of the local Liberal Democrat group, claims plenty of interested parties were willing to take the job on, but were put off by the limited financial support offered by Rother.

He said: "It's really not quite right that nobody in Bexhill was prepared to take the offering of this service on for the benefit of Bexhill, but was (a question of) not being offered sufficient funding to run it.

"I was on the panel who interviewed all day many capable applicants who were in the business of travel or tourism of one kind or another.

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"The first one withdrew before even being interviewed, then one withdrew at the interview, then one who was offered the contract withdrew afterwards all for the same reason that they could not run a tourist information centre on 30,000 per annum and meet the requirements as laid down by the tourist board on staffing with training, displays and the like.

"Even with the back up of their own business it's rather difficult on 30,000."

Cllr Wood says the financial problems for TICs in Rother are common place, with the support of English Heritage making Battle the exception.

He added: "Unless more funding can be found this will be a problem that cannot be solved.

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Museums chairman Mrs Megan Traice said: "It is just not fair to say that nobody was prepared to take it on. We spent a lot of time preparing a submission.

"We went to a meeting at the Town Hall at the beginning of last year and were interviewed but we didn't hear any more of it.

"We were prepared to run the TIC from the museum. At that stage we were prepared to adapt the plans for our museum extension to include a tourist information centre.

"We submitted our latest audited accounts and a letter of authority from the bank.

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"We had worked up a business plan for operating the TIC from the museum."

The chairman said the volunteers realised that the museum was not in the centre of the town. But it was only a few minutes' walk from the De La Warr Pavilion.

When its extension was built and Bexhill Museum and Bexhill Museum of Costume and Social History were brought under one roof together with the town's motor heritage it would be an even greater tourist attraction.

The business plan had made it clear that the museum had unrivalled knowledge of the town and had been operating since 1914 and was in a position to offer detailed information and a comprehensive service to visitors.

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The chairman added: "Our offer still stands. We are quite happy to do it, though we have got our plans out now for the extension and it may be a little late to try and change them."

Leaflets, brochures and information on local events can be found at the Community Help Point, on Amherst Road.

When Rother withdrew a 50,000 funding promise to Rye, a new local group - Rye Town Services Ltd - was set up to run its TIC from Rye Heritage Centre. It opened this week.

r FOLLOWING the closure of the Tourist Information Centre at 51 Marina, leaseholder Miraleisure will continue to trade from the same address.

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Miraleisure has provided self-catering holidays and other accommodation in Bexhill for more than 20 years, including nearly 15 years from its current Marina base, which it shared with the TIC.

The company is now ordering a booking and publicity facility to selected local hotels and B&Bs, similar to that provided by the former TIC, including a window board for out-of-hours viewing by visitors.

In addition, a ticketing service has been arranged for local day trip operators for which there is a direct phone line 01424 212500.

A statement said: "The above facilities will be augmented by the sale of sundries, including tide tables, postcards and tickets for local events, including BATS productions and the Battle Proms."

A prominent notice in the shop window will direct the public to various locations for specific and general tourism services.

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