An Alloway tongue lashing over tourism
Visitors need the personal touch here
Tourism agency VisitScotland is at the centre of a backlash over the axing of the last Tourism Information Centre in mainland Ayrshire.
They want to cull the The Sandgate office in Ayr and wants face to face contact ended. We took to Alloway to find out what the real people think.
Linda Gray, loves working at the Poet’s Corner coffee house and diner right across from Rabbie’s old cottage. Linda said: “This is a bad decision, there are a lot of older people who don’t have the internet. People come to Alloway from all over the world and like to see someone in person. It’s about personal touch.”
Brian Hendrie, from Ayr, said he was surprised that a centre supposed to drum up tourism was earmarked for closure, saying: “Once holidaymakers are here it is a great place to find out what is going on. Who is going to advise them in the future? Nobody.”
Helen Blythe, of Alloway, was the first Administrator of the Ayrshire Hospice and on her high- horse. Helen said: “I think the situation is desperate and the whole area is going to suffer. “In life today there can be nobody to talk to. You can get so much more information if you are standing in front of someone.”
In Alloway Post Office, owner Simon Ferguson was seething, saying: “Digital is the way forward but I disagree with Ayr TIC closing. The town needs a shake- up as the people who run it are a disgrace. I am born and bred in Ayr, but the people in charge have their heads in the sand.”
Who is going to advise them in the future? Nobody. Brian Hendrie