New base agreed for Ludlow visitor centre
Ludlow's visitor information centre will move into the town's Assembly Rooms later this month, council chiefs confirmed today.
The future of the centre - and that of the town's museum - briefly came under threat last year when plans to revamp the Assembly Rooms next door were announced.
But since then deals have been agreed to move the museum to its original home at the Buttercross.
And the visitor centre will, from September 22, become part of the Assembly Rooms, bosses said today.
It will merge with the existing box office at the venue on a temporary basis.
Building work to reconfigure the Assembly Rooms is currently at the planning stage and a fundraising campaign will start imminently.
Information leaflets and a computer station will be available in the public areas of the building, and principally in the snug on the first third floor where there will also be someone available to help visitors.
Once the building work on the ground floor has been completed, the services will move back into the space currently occupied by the Visitor Information Centre.
Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for leisure, libraries and culture, said: "There are exciting times ahead for Ludlow Assembly Rooms and the Buttercross.
"It is great that we are able to work with the trustees and the town council to secure a bright future and continue to offer valued services to visitors and locals alike."
Tony Blench, chair of the trustees of Ludlow Assembly Rooms, said: "All of us, Shropshire Council, Ludlow Town Council and Ludlow Assembly Rooms must keep working closely to deliver this challenging set of changes.
"I am confident that, together, we can secure a sustainable future for the Assembly Rooms and ensure that the wider community continues to benefit from these important services."
Ludlow Town Council has confirmed that the work to refurbish the Buttercross is well under way and progressing well. It is expected that the Museum will move into its new home later this year.
Gina Wilding, Ludlow Town Council clerk, added: "It's important that Ludlow's rich cultural history continues to be celebrated and The Buttercross is the ideal space in which to do this.
"I'm really pleased that this wonderful building will once again be used to support the visitor economy."
