ONE of Ledbury's most important tourist attractions, The Heritage Centre, is set to open for a new tourist season under new ownership, a strong base of volunteers and with impressive visitor figures for 2016.

The news is all the more welcome because the centre came close to closure three years ago, before the licence to run the attraction was taken on by the Civic Society.

The half-timbered building, in Church Lane, will open on Saturday, April 1 and will remain open from 10.30am to 4.30pm each day until October 31, for a full tourist season.

Writing in the latest Ledbury and District Society newsletter, Heritage Centre spokesperson Sally Holliday said: "There are changes ahead of us this year, since ownership has passed from Herefordshire Council to Ledbury Places."

She added: " We are most grateful for the support we have had over the last three years from the Civic Society. Without the foresight of the Civic Society in obtaining the licence for the last three years, there would have been a real risk that the building could have been put on the market a lost to Ledbury as an important heritage building for our town and its visitors."

The Civic Society's planning and conservation officer, Anthony Peake said of the involvement of Ledbury Places: "It is somewhat of a relief that this building is now owned by a Ledbury-based charity with an expanding membership of Ledbury residents."

Meanwhile, the volunteers are celebrating a very successful tourist year for 2016.

Visitor numbers exceeded 25,000, including tourists from all over the UK, Europe, the Far East, the American continent, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The centre currently has 50 volunteers on its books, but more will always be welcomed.

 

Further details on, 01531 633637.