A new Visitor Information Centre (VIC) for Bedford opening tomorrow (17th October) has been welcomed by Cllr Roger Rigby.
Opening initially on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 10.30am – 4pm, the VIC has been established by volunteers wanting to promote the Borough a tourist destination. It will be based at St Paul’s Church in the town centre.
Cllr Rigby said:
‘We support the volunteers who are taking matters into their own hands to fill the void left by Mayor Hodgson when he abandoned Bedford as a tourist destination. The new Visitor Information Centre will be an asset to the town and I commend Steve Barratt and his team for their efforts.
‘Moving tourist information back to the picturesque setting of St Paul’s Square is a welcome move. The Mayor’s decision to relocate the former Travel and Tourism Centre from the old Town Hall to a corridor of our Soviet-tribute bus station was a disaster, costing taxpayers £62k a year before he closed it.
‘Bedford Borough has a rich tourism pedigree as the birthplace of John Bunyan, the home of the BBC during the Second World War and now the filming location for Hollywood blockbusters at the Cardington Hangers. Our Embankment is the envy of towns across the country and our rural landscapes are magnificent. Visitors to Bedford can also enjoy world famous attractions beyond our boundaries such as Bletchley Park and the Harry Potter Studios.
‘The Council’s Conservative Group is fully supportive of the dedicated volunteers who are putting Bedford Borough back on the map.’