Complaints about Ringwood Visitor Information Centre opening hours (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Complaints about Ringwood Visitor Information Centre opening hours
8:00pm Thursday 18th March 2010 in
A COUNCIL has been accused of telling tourists they are not wanted by opening Ringwood’s Visitor Information Centre only three days a week.
Ringwood resident Peter Harper, 73, who previously rented out a holiday home, has written to New Forest District Council complaining about the limited opening hours at the Meeting House Lane information centre.
He said the centre could “make a major contribution to the New Forest’s finances”.
“With the growing success of tourism over the past 10 years and now with the additional publicity of the National Park, we are well positioned to receive an even greater share of holidaymakers both from home and abroad,” he said.
“The country is in the middle of a recession and every attempt should be made to use existing facilities, wherever possible.
“Why are our councillors neglecting to keep the Ringwood information centre open at a time when we should be encouraging tourism? Currently it is closed for most of the week. Why?”
He said the centre is only open from 9am to 3pm on Wednesdays and Fridays and from 10am to 1pm on Saturdays.
“I would also suggest the information centre looks closed even when it is actually open, mostly because of very poor lighting,” he said.
He said visitors want to know what is available in the New Forest, to book accommodation and obtain literature and maps.
“By being closed most of the time we are in fact saying ‘Go away’,” he said.
He urged the council to open the centre six days a week from Easter.
Martin Devine, the council’s head of communities and employment, said there are not the resources to man the centre.
“It’s a site that is visited mainly by local people, mainly for parking clocks and the like,” he said. “Ringwood is a good gateway location but it could do with a bit more in it to attract people to it. Lyndhurst’s VIC is visitor-based, Lymington is half-and-half and Ringwood is very much local-based.”
After Easter, it is proposed to move visitor facilities to the public offices in Christchurch Road.
Ringwood Town Council has objected to the district council’s plans to move the VIC to the public offices.
They claim the current location is ideal, that the loss of the service would be unacceptable and that there has been a lack of consultation.
Comments(11)
Azphreal
says...
1:40am Fri 19 Mar 10
essexman
says...
8:17pm Fri 19 Mar 10
Jim Stride wrote:Yes. it#s bad, but don't say "Ringwood needs to pull together. The TIC is run by the New Forest District Council, not the Ringwood Town Council
Very bad for Ringwood, I am looking at alternatives; other towns have, Ringwood needs to pull together, no time like the present.
Good Article Bob.
Jim Stride
says...
8:34pm Fri 19 Mar 10
essexman wrote:With 1,000's of visitors wishing to come to Ringwood and ending up no knowing where to turn to with the lask of a VIC, an alternative information source would be handy hence "Pulling together" to enable those visitors enjoy Ringwood, point them to attractions , Restaurants, B&B The High Street etc
Jim Stride wrote:Yes. it#s bad, but don't say "Ringwood needs to pull together. The TIC is run by the New Forest District Council, not the Ringwood Town Council
Very bad for Ringwood, I am looking at alternatives; other towns have, Ringwood needs to pull together, no time like the present.
Good Article Bob.
Jim Stride
says...
8:45pm Fri 19 Mar 10
essexman wrote:With 1,000's of visitors wishing to come to Ringwood and ending up no knowing where to turn to with the lask of a VIC, an alternative information source would be handy hence "Pulling together" to enable those visitors enjoy Ringwood, point them to attractions , Restaurants, B&B The High Street etc
Jim Stride wrote:Yes. it#s bad, but don't say "Ringwood needs to pull together. The TIC is run by the New Forest District Council, not the Ringwood Town Council
Very bad for Ringwood, I am looking at alternatives; other towns have, Ringwood needs to pull together, no time like the present.
Good Article Bob.
charley farley west parley
says...
11:21pm Fri 19 Mar 10
I say this , not to be disparaging to Ringwood, but i think you need to do more to encourage people.
Like most people in the area i visit local places regularly but Ringwood has just passed me by. Even writing this and thinking about Ringwood i still don't think i'll go.
Why should i visit Ringwood, what have you got to offer ?
Jim Stride
says...
9:47am Sat 20 Mar 10
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Rick White
says...
1:17pm Sat 20 Mar 10
Jim Stride
says...
3:47pm Sat 20 Mar 10
Rick White wrote:Rick, very true, it was a shame that plans to re-develope the whole area around the VIC were voted down....... We are where we are and if I can make a difference in Ringwood then will certainly have a go.
Some years ago there were plans to re-develope the whole area around the VIC and the short sighted people of Ringwood voted it down. The scheme involved a new town hall, VIC and numerous other civic amenities which would have benefitted the town and made the most of it's proximity to the New Forest. Such a shame as we will not benefit from the 'new' national park status and the increase in the visitors. You're right Charley Farley that Ringwood has lost the appeal that it had when it was a true 'market' town.
Visitors will be wanting to know about Ringwood and the VIC would have been the natural place to go to find this out.
jazziewoo
says...
3:50pm Thu 25 Mar 10
charley farley west parley wrote:A great deal! Ringwood is a pretty market town - the market runs every Wednesday - and has a huge variety of shops and not just the ones found in every high street in England and for every budget, with small specialist shops with great service, again much better than some of your faceless unhelpful shops in Bournemouth. There are more than 20 - yes 20 - eating places and some great pubs. A super museum is just on the outskirts of the town and of-course the New Forest is close by. Parking is much cheaper than Bournemouth and we have a swimming pool - more than you have! It is only 15 minutes down the road from Bournemouth and definitely worth a visit.
I've lived in Bournemouth my whole life and i've never visited Ringwood. I've never felt the need to visit Ringwood and noone has ever suggested i visit Ringwood.
I say this , not to be disparaging to Ringwood, but i think you need to do more to encourage people.
Like most people in the area i visit local places regularly but Ringwood has just passed me by. Even writing this and thinking about Ringwood i still don't think i'll go.
Why should i visit Ringwood, what have you got to offer ?
Jim Stride
says...
9:09pm Sat 27 Mar 10
Jim Stride wrote:Well said,
Rick White wrote:Rick, very true, it was a shame that plans to re-develope the whole area around the VIC were voted down....... We are where we are and if I can make a difference in Ringwood then will certainly have a go.
Some years ago there were plans to re-develope the whole area around the VIC and the short sighted people of Ringwood voted it down. The scheme involved a new town hall, VIC and numerous other civic amenities which would have benefitted the town and made the most of it's proximity to the New Forest. Such a shame as we will not benefit from the 'new' national park status and the increase in the visitors. You're right Charley Farley that Ringwood has lost the appeal that it had when it was a true 'market' town.
Visitors will be wanting to know about Ringwood and the VIC would have been the natural place to go to find this out.
Action - to boost RINGWOOD
1. Can diverse independent traders work together?
2. Can they successfully promote their area to improve our shopping experience?
3. These are questions investigating ways of improving shopping in the RINGWOOD
4. The aim is to identify ways trade can be improved through co-operation between local retailers in a bid to provide additional services to consumers.
5. “What we need is a joined up approach to urban revitalisation. If all goes well independent retailers could see trade improve significantly.”
Well, something will be done soon to improve the visitor experience in Ringwood, look out in the Bournemouth Echo for the news.
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OPEN MORE HOURS! Peter Harper, 73, at Ringwood’s Visitor Information Centre. Picture by Richard Crease. ID: 10036412
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Jim Stride says...
9:50pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Good Article Bob.