A VISITOR information centre is set to close at Lyndhurst as the New Forest District Council reviews services involving tourism.

As of April next year, the centre will be shut as a report revealed the number of its visitors has decreased by more than 50 per cent since its heyday.

When it was introduced in the late 1980s it welcomed around 300,000 visitors a year.

Other changes to the council's tourism services were considered at their corporate overview and scrutiny panel meeting on Thursday (OCT 27).

The New Forest Centre which houses the visitor centre will continue to operate.

Chris Elliott, executive head of economy, housing, and planning, said: “Visitor Information Centres all started in the late 1980s - pre-internet - and there has been a steady drop-off in the number of people using them.

"In their heyday, our VICs saw around 300,000 visits a year. That figure has now dropped substantially, by over 50 per cent, with many people choosing to access information online instead.

“In the context of reduced funding for local councils, and with this reduction in users known, it would be wrong of us not to consider if the VIC service is still the best way of providing information to visitors. This isn’t about stopping the provision of information that will help visitors enjoy the area; it is about providing visitor information in the right way, at the right cost. I am confident that with the NFTA’s leadership, tourism in the area will continue to thrive.”

Hilary Marshall, centre manager, said: "Having enjoyed working with our partners at the VIC over a number of years, we respect the need for change."

A decision on the review’s recommendations will be made at the meeting of the cabinet on November 2.