A vital service which helped to promote accommodation and attractions to visitors to a Powys town has been saved after traders stepped forward to take it over.

Machynlleth firms have set up a tourism information centre after the closure of the town’s official one.

Powys County Council closed its Tourist Information Centre last month.

The closure came after the council failed to find a new partner to take over the running of the centre in Heol Maengwyn, following a restructuring of its tourism services.

Residents feared the closure would have a drastic effect on the town’s economy.

But now thanks to Gwyn Griffiths and his wife Marian, who run Dyfi Crafts and Clothing in the town, the service has been saved.

The couple, who run a shop at the former home of the TIC in the Owain Glyndwr Institute, said they were looking forward to providing the service.

Mr Griffiths said: “We were approached by bed and breakfast traders who were concerned about the closure of the TIC service in the town.

“My wife has worked with information centres for 10 years and so she agreed that on April 1 – the day after the TIC closed, a visitors’ information point would be based in the shop. It offers information on accommodation in the area, transport timetables, local attractions, a guide to what’s on as well as maps.”

He said: “The service will be available between 10am and 5pm Monday until Friday and we will be operating on a Sunday during the high peak too.”

Mr Griffiths added the service was being offered on a voluntary basis and no funding was being received for the venture.

Councillor Michael Williams said he was delighted with the news. He said: “More and more families from Britain will be holidaying in their own country this year because of the economic situation and even families from abroad will be coming because of the state of the pound.

“Machynlleth is just the kind of town that needs a TIC and I’m very pleased that we have an information point in the town again.”

By Anwen Evans