A CONCERNED Assembly Member has voiced her disquiet over the closure of an “essential” tourist facility in Barmouth.

Responding to recent reporting in the Cambrian News that the town’s tourist information centre had shut down, regional Labour AM Eluned Morgan said: “I don’t understand the logic of the closure.

“Tourism is the backbone of the economy in west Wales and local government should be making efforts to promote the industry not shut it down.

“Savings will be minimal anyway, because the office in Barmouth is subsidised by Network Rail”.

A recent petition to save tourist information centres, initiated by Graham Hogg, attracted over 2,000 signatures.

Graham, who provides a range of holiday accommodation in Barmouth, added: “It’s hugely disappointing that Gwynedd Council ignored the petition and decided to pull the plug on jobs and the local economy, with its fast exit from this vital resource.”