COUNCIL ENSURES INVESTMENT IN WESTON TOURISM SERVICES

The future of three of Weston’s most valued tourism services looks bright following months of work by North Somerset Council to safeguard their future.

The Playhouse Theatre, Winter Gardens and Tourist Information Service are all set to receive additional investment, benefiting residents and visitors alike.

With the threat of public spending cuts looming, the council has worked hard to reduce the cost of providing these services, generating savings of £272,000 so far over a three-year period.

Now, through working in partnership with the private sector, all three will receive capital investment enabling a new Tourist Information Service to be developed at the Winter Gardens and for some much needed repairs and building works at the theatre and Winter Gardens.

Councillors will be recommended to approve a contract with Parkwood Leisure to run these services for a ten-year period at the next meeting of the Full Council on Tuesday October 19.

The deal involve investment in all three services by both the contractor and the council.

Council leader Nigel Ashton said: “I am delighted that in this era of economic uncertainty we are able not only to safeguard these services, but also commit to additional investment in them.

“Tourism is an important source of income for the North Somerset economy, and by working with the private sector we are able to continue to save money for local people in the provision of these services, and also improve the services we have to offer.

“While we may not know for several months exactly what impact on us the public spending cuts will have, we will continue to work hard, as we have been for the last three years, on innovative and creative ways to safeguard services wherever possible.”

North Somerset Council already has contracts with Parkwood Leisure for catering at the Winter Gardens, and for the operation of a number of leisure centres in the district.