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Newbury Today Forum _ Newbury News _ Visitor Information Center
Posted by: Simon Kirby Mar 31 2016, 05:29 PM
Newbury Visitor Information Center is closing permanently from tomorrow. Will anyone miss it?
Posted by: On the edge Mar 31 2016, 06:25 PM
No.
There might have be some point if it returns to the Wharf; if that's going to be the bus and coach station. However, I'd be expecting the Coach Service to be running it; just like the railways, where you can pick up leaflets about local attractions at stations.
I must admit, the old set up amused me. There used to be three separate WBC 'information' counters almost next door to each other, the Museum, the Information Office and the Library!
Posted by: Andy Capp Mar 31 2016, 07:33 PM
There might have be some point if it returns to the Wharf; if that's going to be the bus and coach station. However, I'd be expecting the Coach Service to be running it; just like the railways, where you can pick up leaflets about local attractions at stations.
I must admit, the old set up amused me. There used to be three separate WBC 'information' counters almost next door to each other, the Museum, the Information Office and the Library!
...and now the Internet.
Posted by: Simon Kirby Mar 31 2016, 07:54 PM
Indeed. Here's a link to http://www.explorelincolnshire.co.uk/s****horpe/s****horpe-tourist-information-centre-36835.html. OK, so the sharp-eyed amongst you may have noticed that S****horpe isn't actually Newbury, but as S****horpe sits next to Newbury on the http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4606587.stm list I figure it'll do just as well. S****horpe even has a library.
[Edit] Excuse the profanity filter, it's having a bit of trouble with a certain Lincolnshire town's name and I don't appear to be able to reference the town's visitor information centre. I guess it's probably also pointless trying to mention the innovative ideas that the good burghers of the Dorset town of ****terton, or the equally inspired civic endeavours of the townspeople of ****ing, Austria. Ah well.
Posted by: Andy Capp Mar 31 2016, 10:18 PM
[Edit] Excuse the profanity filter, it's having a bit of trouble with a certain Lincolnshire town's name and I don't appear to be able to reference the town's visitor information centre. I guess it's probably also pointless trying to mention the innovative ideas that the good burghers of the Dorset town of ****terton, or the equally inspired civic endeavours of the townspeople of ****ing, Austria. Ah well.
Looking through the irony, here you go: http://goo.gl/dlhCmR ... it looks like a toilet hole.
Posted by: blackdog Mar 31 2016, 10:38 PM
Yes, but probably not as much as I'd miss tourist information centres in other towns. Always look out for the i sign when I'm in a town for the first time.
From what I hear the folk who will miss them most are the ones they acted as a box office for - notably the canal boat trips who got over half their customers from the VIC. And the local B&B owners who got trade from them. And the local authors, artists, and artisans who flogged stuff through their shop.
All replaceable in other ways I guess, but it seems a shame to see it go.
Posted by: On the edge Apr 1 2016, 06:38 AM
From what I hear the folk who will miss them most are the ones they acted as a box office for - notably the canal boat trips who got over half their customers from the VIC. And the local B&B owners who got trade from them. And the local authors, artists, and artisans who flogged stuff through their shop.
All replaceable in other ways I guess, but it seems a shame to see it go.
That's quite valid Blackdog, but the visitors will still come flocking to see the flag pole. That's what keeps them coming!
Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 1 2016, 07:11 PM
From what I hear the folk who will miss them most are the ones they acted as a box office for - notably the canal boat trips who got over half their customers from the VIC. And the local B&B owners who got trade from them. And the local authors, artists, and artisans who flogged stuff through their shop.
All replaceable in other ways I guess, but it seems a shame to see it go.
Do you pop in to tourist information centres for anything more than leaflets? We do that in towns we visit, but it's not beyond the whit of man to put a rack of leaflets in any old public building like a library (if the town has one of those). If you're popping in to buy stuff then I wonder that that's not a function that some other commercial premises might offer? For example the corn exchange could surely sell tickets and such for other venues - and as it receives public funding I would like to see it do this without commission for charitable organisations.
I just haven't seen any kind of argument that demonstrates how a tourist information centre is a public good to be paid for from taxation, and even without the cuts I'd still be arguing for the tourist information centre to be dropped.
[Edit] Here's the list of functions that the TIC say they provide, with my comments in italics:
- Accommodation Booking - Local & National - You can do this on the internet.
- Attractions & Things to do Information - A rack of leaflets in the library would do the same job
- Barnes Ticket Agents - You can book on line and by phone.
- Events Information - Again, just a rack of leaflets then.
- Faxing - does anyone actually fax any more?
- Local Crafts & Produce - Is it right to subsidise a shop to sell crafts and produce when it competes with other commercial retail outlets that are trying to do the same thing
- Local walks books - Can't bookshops sell these?
- Maps & Guides - Again, something that bookshops and outdoor shops already sell
- National Express Ticket Agents - Like Barnes, you can book coaches on-line and by phone.
- Newbury Souvenirs - Again, is it right to subsidise the TIC to sell souvenirs of Newbury when other commercial retail outfits could sell this tat?
- Photocopying - You can get photocopying done in any of the print shops and several of the newsagents in Newbury
- Stamps, 1st & 2nd Class and European stamps - News agents and post offices sell stamps.
- Tickets for local events and theatre - Can't the Corn Exchange do this?
- Timetables – Local & National - There's the internet if the bus garage and train station can't oblige
Personally I can't understand how it was ever acceptable for public money to be spent supporting this list of functions.
Posted by: blackdog Apr 1 2016, 10:12 PM
A lot of 'you can do this on the internet or by phone' - whereas most of the people I see in there are of the generation than are less likely to have the internet, certainly less likely to have internet in their pocket. It's a dying sector of the community, but also the sector that has the most leisure time to visit new places.
The Corn Exchange can sell tickets - but aren't so equipped to spend time answering queries about what to do and drop in the 'how about a nice boat trip'. And they aren't so easy to deal with. They also have up front costs that might dissuade a small event from using them.
There are solutions, but it does feel a bit like throwing in the towel and admitting that no one wants to visit Newbury anyway.
Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 2 2016, 06:44 AM
There's nothing the TIC does that any of the local tea shops, charity shops, newsagents, and what-nots wouldn't also do, and I resent being taxed to support ceremonial shops.
Posted by: Biker1 Apr 2 2016, 07:32 AM
It's centre Simon, centre!
Posted by: x2lls Apr 2 2016, 08:01 AM
And it's not Tourist Information Centre Centre!!!
Posted by: On the edge Apr 2 2016, 08:51 AM
Simon's right, he is pandering to the hordes of American tourists we can expect. Just ax quick whistle stop to see the flag poles, then to the Control Tower, for coffee. Americans don't want toilets either, they use bathrooms, hope the tower has enough of those.
Posted by: Biker1 Apr 2 2016, 10:46 AM
Did you note the comma?
Posted by: Biker1 Apr 2 2016, 10:48 AM
Maybe you're right. It may be an attraction to American tourists who wish to see an information center about their great wartime (Second World and Cold) history in Britain!.
Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 2 2016, 11:09 AM
You're right of course, my mistake.
Posted by: Cognosco Apr 2 2016, 04:11 PM
All praise to the benevolence of the Greenham Parish ratepayers of course, providing that bathrooms etc have been costed in to the project, unlike a leaking roof was?
Posted by: Biker1 Apr 3 2016, 07:34 AM
Only joshing Simon, it doesn't really matter.
It's just me, because for some reason these Americanisms irritate me.
Posted by: Sherlock Apr 6 2016, 09:24 AM
It's just me, because for some reason these Americanisms irritate me.
You must love going to Center Parcs.
Posted by: je suis Charlie Apr 6 2016, 10:45 AM
Hmm! Toys r Us. Luvly!
Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 8 2016, 07:40 PM
The Corn Exchange can sell tickets - but aren't so equipped to spend time answering queries about what to do and drop in the 'how about a nice boat trip'. And they aren't so easy to deal with. They also have up front costs that might dissuade a small event from using them.
There are solutions, but it does feel a bit like throwing in the towel and admitting that no one wants to visit Newbury anyway.
I note from the Newbury Weekly News that the Town Council are still considering the option of providing an on-line TIC. Sounds like a complete and utter waste of tax-payer's money.
Posted by: Cognosco Apr 8 2016, 08:38 PM
Especially when their big brother is doing its best to deter visitors to Newbury..........hiking car parking charges and proposing tearing Newbury to pieces. Bringing roads to a near standstill. NTC hiking precept charges which leaves less money from the plebs budgets to spend in town. Just where they get their ideas from is amazing isn't it?
Posted by: blackdog Apr 8 2016, 09:59 PM
Since I last contributed to this thread I have met two couples who were bemoaning the loss of the VIC.
One pair had come into to town to buy coach tickets - easy enough online I suspect, but where do the technophobes get them now? Anyone know of a travel agent doing this?
The other couple were looking for bus timetables - anyone know where these are available now? Apart from online or on bus stops!
Posted by: Sherlock Apr 8 2016, 10:50 PM
It's possible to do pretty much anything online - book airline tickets, find a prostitute, look at naked men/ladies and order a takeaway, and find out about local B&B's for example - but I respectfully submit that Mr Kirby and the other web fans here miss the point completely. Although all these things are possible, many of us like to talk to another human being to get advice. Human beings have all sorts of advantages over search engines. They know what they're talking about, they can look you in the eye, they smile. You know, they're human which Google, demonstrably, is not.
I'm surprised that no one has suggested that, rather than throw all our prospective visitors to the mercies of Google and its like, as Mr Kirby suggests, we try to find volunteers to run a visitor centre. After all, getting volunteers to do everything else (run libraries, collect litter, man the police force, recommend sex workers, defend the country etc) is very much in vogue and all these activities can be seriously screwed up by Google. I'm pretty certain that many posters here, perhaps including Mr Kirby, would be very happy to spend their spare time telling strangers about the wonders of Newbury and helping them to satisfy their needs rather than paying for someone else to do so.
So, why was trying to find volunteers to run the visitor centre not, so far as I know, been considered? I think we should be told.
Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 9 2016, 05:59 AM
I'm surprised that no one has suggested that, rather than throw all our prospective visitors to the mercies of Google and its like, as Mr Kirby suggests, we try to find volunteers to run a visitor centre. After all, getting volunteers to do everything else (run libraries, collect litter, man the police force, recommend sex workers, defend the country etc) is very much in vogue and all these activities can be seriously screwed up by Google. I'm pretty certain that many posters here, perhaps including Mr Kirby, would be very happy to spend their spare time telling strangers about the wonders of Newbury and helping them to satisfy their needs rather than paying for someone else to do so.
So, why was trying to find volunteers to run the visitor centre not, so far as I know, been considered? I think we should be told.
If there has to be a choice between my tax supporting either a ceremonial shop selling stamps, photo copying, and snow-globes, or supporting adult mental health services, respite releif for cares of handicapped children, and a public library service, then my choice is for the latter.
As for volunteer town guides, sure, why not, but it's not particularly something I've ever used in any other town, but if it fills a niche why not, I'm all for people being involved in their community.
Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 9 2016, 06:37 AM
That's odd, because I've been in town any number of times since you last posted your support for that ceremonial shop and I've not once been accosted by random strangers bemoaning its loss, so I'm wondering that if these dissatisfied visitors are gravitating preferentially towards you that there may potentially be some form of selection bias or that your interest in the ceremonial shop may not be altogether neutral.
Posted by: On the edge Apr 9 2016, 07:29 AM
One pair had come into to town to buy coach tickets - easy enough online I suspect, but where do the technophobes get them now? Anyone know of a travel agent doing this?
The other couple were looking for bus timetables - anyone know where these are available now? Apart from online or on bus stops!
Actually, you are asking for the coach and bus companies to be rather more responsible. Both enquiries would have been answered by a competent public transport operator, not a Council clerk.
Posted by: On the edge Apr 9 2016, 07:33 AM
I'm surprised that no one has suggested that, rather than throw all our prospective visitors to the mercies of Google and its like, as Mr Kirby suggests, we try to find volunteers to run a visitor centre. After all, getting volunteers to do everything else (run libraries, collect litter, man the police force, recommend sex workers, defend the country etc) is very much in vogue and all these activities can be seriously screwed up by Google. I'm pretty certain that many posters here, perhaps including Mr Kirby, would be very happy to spend their spare time telling strangers about the wonders of Newbury and helping them to satisfy their needs rather than paying for someone else to do so.
So, why was trying to find volunteers to run the visitor centre not, so far as I know, been considered? I think we should be told.
....and then there is the much vaunted BID organisation. Tourist Information is what it says; tourist information. What other reason is there to attract tourists, than to increase customers for local traders.
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