‘Heartbreak’ as visitor centre shutdown brings job losses

Bath’s Visitor Information Centre is closing for good with a number of staff losing their jobs as a result.

Visit Bath has announced that the Terrace Walk centre (inset), which has been shut since March, is closing permanently as the city emerges from the coronavirus lockdown.

It said the centre is no longer “economically viable” due to the cost of operation, the impact of social distancing requirements to keep staff and customers safe and the lack of tourism.

The company said the centre had been consistently losing money for years and if it had not shut it would have had a “devastating” impact on the whole business.

It is not yet known how many staff have lost their jobs.

Kathryn Davis, chief executive of Visit Bath said, it was “heartbreaking” to lose the staff who worked there.

“It was a very difficult decision to close the Visitor Information Centre. However had we not done so the impact on the whole business could have been devastating,” she said.

“It is particularly heartbreaking to lose the staff who have had years of experience welcoming visitors to Bath, providing a professional service.

“Sadly, with the cost of operation being so much higher than the income generated, we have had no choice but to close the service permanently.

“Other options to continue the service were explored, but we have not been able to find a solution in the necessary time frame.”

Visit Bath, which reported a loss of £126,000 in 2018/19, has been further affected by Bath’s £470m tourism hole due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The company said it will now focus on marketing and developing business for the tourism economy.

In a statement, it said: “As Bath emerges from Covid-19 lockdown, it is with sadness that Visit Bath have announced the permanent closure of the Visitor Information Centre.”

It continued: “With the tourism economy predicted to take at least 4 years to return to pre-covid levels, the additional financial risk involved in opening the VIC with lower visitor numbers anticipated in the short to medium term would put further huge financial pressures on the overall business.

“Opening in its current location in 2017 the centre had provided leaflets and information to visitors, selling a small range of souvenirs and tickets for local tours and attractions, as well as being home to the Bath Box Office.

“Visit Bath will now focus on marketing and developing business for the tourism economy, both with consumer and trade activity planned to maximise future visits.

“This will include development of digital campaigns, media visits and engagement with international travel trade.

“This work will continue while the development of the new regional partnership is ongoing.”

Other visitor information centres have also closed down in the UK.