NEW Quay people have been urged to band together to ensure the “absolutely crucial” local tourist information centre remains open.

Cllr Dan Potter has called on residents to consider ways of keeping the facility open after it emerged that Ceredigion County Council were looking to save £25,000 by reducing its hours or even shutting it altogether.

“During the summer months New Quay has the biggest footfall of all so our TIC is the last one that should be considered for closure,” Cllr Potter told the Cambrian News.

“While I don’t think any TIC should get the chop, as far as I’m concerned the one here in New Quay is absolutely crucial.

“When you consider the number of holidaymakers who flock to New Quay in the summer the idea of the town not having a TIC just becomes ludicrous.

“Ceredigion County Council just don’t have the money anymore so I’m afraid it’s up to us – the community of New Quay – to ensure it stays open.”

Cllr Potter was speaking ahead of New Quay Town Council’s monthly meeting next Monday when members will discuss possible ways of retaining the TIC.

And he suggested that the key to its future might lie in a joint collaboration between the town council and the newly formed New Quay Working Group he has recently set up.

“The town council just don’t have the funds to run the TIC single-handedly, so I envisage a joint partnership between ourselves, the working group and perhaps the local business community,” he said.

“Let’s face it, we all benefit from having a TIC so we’re the ones who are going to have to dig into our pockets to pay for it.”

See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now