Madam,

Might I be permitted to respond to the letter from Stephen Smith complaining about the closure of the tourist information facility in Barmouth?

As chairman of the Barmouth Publicity Association (BPA), I can assure Mr Smith that he is not alone in questioning the decisions made by Gwynedd Council with regards to the tourist support infrastructure in the county. With so much reliance on the tourism industry it seems short-sighted in the extreme to cut back on what remains our largest employer and source of income.

However, Mr Smith may be pleased to know that the BPA, together with Barmouth Town Council, has been working behind the scenes for the last year to address this issue. We have been negotiating with Gwynedd Council, Arriva Trains and Network Rail, (the TIC was based in the station building at Barmouth), and an existing local business with a view to re-opening the facility as a privately-funded, combined information centre, ticket sales office and retail facility.

We had hoped that all would be in place for an opening this Easter. However, negotiations with Network Rail have proved time-consuming and complex. We believe that things are nearing their conclusion and we hope to be able to make a formal announcement in the near future.

If Mr Smith returns to Barmouth later in the year we very much hope that he will find a welcoming and friendly new facility in place with an enhanced service and opening hours, offering Barmouth the tourist information service it so desperately needs.

Yours etc,

David Brown, chairman, Barmouth Publicity Association.

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