POOLE'S tourist information service is moving out of its quayside Welcome Centre home this week and re-locating to Poole Museum.

The Welcome Centre will be closed to the public from Tuesday, September 21 and re-opens in its new home on Thursday. It will be housed in the museum reception with the two teams working alongside each other.

The tourism team will provide all their usual services, and be rebranded Poole's Tourist Information Centre.

"We know that having a dedicated, professional tourist information service is important to visitors and tourism businesses," said Bruce Grant-Braham, chairman of Poole Tourism Partnership.

"With increasing pressure on budgets, co-location with the museum makes sense, saves money and keeps the service and expertise at the heart of Poole’s tourism offer. The shared service will bring benefits to both tourism businesses and the museum with anyone popping in to the TIC encouraged to explore the museum and museum visitors picking up information about places to stay and visit in Poole.

"It is a win win situation, we just ask visitors to bear with us whilst the move takes place.”

The website pooletourism.com will continue to offer information during the move and from Thursday, September 24 the new number for Poole TIC is 01202 262600.

The rest of Poole Tourism, including the marketing department, is due to move on Friday, with telephone numbers remaining the same.