Bedford travel and tourism centre to close

In 2015 the Mayor hailed the opening of the travel and tourism centre after it was moved out of the picturesque Old Town Hall.

He has now, however, taken the decision to move the travel and tourism centre once again, citing reduced income.

Whilst welcoming the news, Councillor Roger Rigby felt it had been wrong to move the travel and tourism centre to the bus station in the first place.

He said: “The council’s budget report made it clear that the travel and tourism centre became no more than a glorified bus and rail ticket office in a corridor of the bus station.

“That decision apparently has been costing our taxpayers at least £62k a year, which is the projected saving from the relocation, as well as capital investment to install it and now another £10k to re-locate it.

“This is poor financial management when the Mayor needs to save £21.2m by the end of the decade.

“The Conservative group fully supports a move to the central library or the corn exchange.

“A recent official review of the council highlighted the untapped potential of tourism in the Borough.

“This council needs to get back to promoting tourism rather than selling bus tickets.”