Visitor Information Centres in Morecambe and Lancaster WILL close - and here's when

Lancaster City Council confirmed today (August 15) that the centres at The Platform in Morecambe and The Storey in Lancaster will shut from September 9.

The council did not comment about how many staff have been affected by the closure but they did announce plans to invest almost £300,000 in marketing the district.

A total of £294,000 has been secured from the Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the council say this will enable them to invest in a new and improved destination website, along with digital screens and interactive touch screen kiosks in locations across the district.

The Platform entertainment venue, which the council originally planned to close as part of its cost cutting measures, will continue to be run by them until March next year.

A call for Expressions of Interest has been issued to see if an alternative operator can be found for when the council ceases to run the venue.

Along with many other local authorities the council says it is battling against unprecedented pressures caused by steep increases in operating costs, increasing demand for services, and below-inflation funding from Government.

Immediate savings of £2.4million were agreed at Full Council as part of the 2023/24 budget to address the council’s financial deficit. This included:

• A new senior leadership structure to reduce management costs, saving around £450k a year• Deletion of vacant posts and efficiencies in back office support functions, saving around £500k a year• Comprehensive review of the council’s land and buildings, minimising energy and maintenance costs, saving around £400k a year

Coun Catherine Potter, cabinet member with responsibility for visitor economy, community wealth building and culture, said: “With Eden just around the corner we are expecting many more people from across the country to be eyeing a holiday in our district.

“We want people to be able to access everything they need before they get here so they can see the wealth of attractions and activities we have to offer and plan their trip accordingly.

“We also need to release Lancaster’s untapped potential and make more people aware of its fascinating history.

“All this means we need to up our game and improve our digital offer so people can quickly pick up the visitor information they need at all times of the day, as well as investing more in marketing campaigns to draw people in.”

Coun Potter said one-off external funding from the UKSPF will allow the council to make these changes and ensure they are able to provide information to the widest possible audience.

“We do, however, recognise that not everyone has access to the internet and we’re in discussion with our partner organisations to ensure we’re providing accessible information in a wider range of public and privately-owned venues than is currently the case,” she said.

“We’re keen to work with local venues to ensure the widest possible network and details of how businesses can get involved will be released in due course.”

Expressions of Interest for The Platform can be made at https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=3cd2b9b3-fa35-ee11-8124-005056b64545

From September 12, the Platform box office will operate from the foyer on Tuesdays and Thursdays between noon and 4pm.

Coun Potter added: “Unfortunately, the council’s finances mean we can no longer stretch to providing VICs, which cost around £280,000 each year to run, but by improving our digital offer we will reach more people than ever before and in more locations than just the two shopfronts we have at the moment.”