Fresh hope for Morecambe's tourist information centre after city council votes to close it

Lancaster City Council this week made the controversial decision to close both Morecambe and Lancaster’s Visitor Information Centres at the end of the 2023 summer season as part of budget cuts.

But a Liberal Democrat motion to explore the feasibility of Morecambe Town Council running a Tourist Information Service has now been given the green light.

This means a working group will be set up to immediately look into ways of keeping the Visitor Information Centre – which currently resides at The Platform venue in Morecambe – alive.

Lib Dem Coun Jim Pilling said: “This is very positive news for Morecambe. Our town is the fastest growing seaside resort in Britain with initiatives such as the Eden Project on the horizon.

“The decision to close our tourist information centre at this time is very perverse, although we understand the pressures on the city council’s budget following years of Government funding cuts.

“I would like to see a new tourist service, including an information centre, but with a focus on promoting our town’s many attractions across the whole country. This is something that has been sadly lacking over the years. The time has come to actively promote our town as a fantastic place to visit and enjoy.”

Lancaster Visitor Information Centre, based at The Storey, also faces closure at the end of the summer as part of Lancaster City Council’s budget cutbacks.