What hope for the Tourist Centre?

There is much to attract the tourist to Tunbridge Wells - the Common, the Pantiles, Charles the Martyr church, the High Street shops, Trinity Theatre, cafes, restaurants and pubs. Much more on offer than in Sevenoaks or Tonbridge.

I read on Twitter that the tourist centre located in the Pantiles is under threat of closure - again. It seems the barmy army in the Town Hall has the centre in its sites as it looks to cut budgets. Problem is that many local politicians give the impression of knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Previously it has been mooted that the tourist centre moves to the Gateway. The Gateway is a dull place, more akin to the waiting room of a doctor's surgery or social services. Even the Job Centre (employment, or even labour exchange) is more enticing. I just cannot see welfare claimants and tourists rubbing shoulders in the Gateway. Even in Gravesend - Gravesend for goodness sake - the tourist centre is not in the Gateway/Civic Centre.

Some bright bod at Kent County Council told me that people who use the Gateway are 'customers', which I suppose puts users in the category used by Tesco to describe people crossing its threshold. However, I am not a customer of the Council, I am an elector and the Council is my servant.

It is a rum state of affairs when the Town Hall is closed to the public, thus cocooning councillors and officers in a little world of their own (and providing free parking) whilst we poor citizens, sorry customers, are kept out. Should the tourist centre have to close then move it to the Town Hall. Mind you, it might not be there long if the Council decides to up sticks to Hawkenbury.