THE fight is on to save tourist information centres in Dwyfor and Meirionnydd, after offices across the county were earmarked for closure.

Following Gwynedd Council Cabinet’s announcement last week that they are considering closing all their tourist information offices, Labour politicians Baroness Eluned Morgan and Welsh Assembly election candidate Dr Ian MacIntyre visited Barmouth Tourist Information Centre to speak to local staff.

The campaign to keep the offices open has struck a chord with residents, who have signed a new online petition in their hundreds.

During her visit to Barmouth last week, Baroness Morgan, shadow spokesperson for Wales and a former MEP, met businesspeople, many of who were “appalled” by the proposal to close the office.

The plan was put forward in the same week the Snowdonia National Park Authority confirmed it would not be reopening its Dolgellau TIC.

Local business owner, Graham Hogg, joined Baroness Morgan on the visit to Barmouth’s tourist office.

As a local resident, Mr Hogg claims the TIC provides a “valuable” service for the whole community.

“I firmly believe in people power. I will be writing to the council leader about this, and if local residents lobby their councillors and ask them to commit to opposing the closure, we can still save the offices and jobs.”

Mr Hogg has set up an online petition which has attracted hundreds of signatories in only a matter of days.

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “We would take issue with the assertion that Gwynedd Council ‘wants to close’ the tourism information centres. if the council’s funding settlement from the Welsh Government had not been cut for the third year in a row, we would not have to implement any of the service cuts we are now having to consider.

“The comprehensive public consultation exercise carried out by the council before Christmas was an opportunity for residents, groups and businesses to identify which services are most important to them, and we are grateful to everyone who took part in the consultation.

“The possible cuts included a number of options relating to the tourism sector, and having considered all the evidence presented during the consultation, the report that will be considered by members of the full council on 3 March for a final decision will recommend protecting the council’s marketing and tourism service, and business support service but ceasing to pay for the council’s tourist information centres.

“Of course, if another organisation wishes to continue running such centres, we will be more than willing to listen.”

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