The Cheltenham Trust is delighted to announce a new partnership with the Tourist Information Centre, offering the service a new home in Cheltenham Town Hall. Opening from today, Tuesday 10 March, the volunteer-run service will be based in the foyer Monday to Saturday 10am–4pm (closed Sundays). The Cheltenham Town Hall ticket office will also reopen for in-person bookings on Mondays and Thursdays 11am-1.30pm.
The new Tourist Information Centre, located in Cavendish House until its recent closure, is a vital local resource offering printed town maps, leaflets, brochures and personalised assistance and recommendations for planning their stay in Cheltenham and the surrounding area. The demand for an in-person offer is clear, with over 1000 visitors a month seeking advice and support at the Tourist Information Centre.
The enterprise was founded by Sue Oscroft and Lyndsay Lardner, former central Cheltenham bed and breakfast owners, who established the Cheltenham Tourist Information Centre as a Community Interest Company. It will now operate in partnership with The Cheltenham Trust, with support from Marketing Cheltenham.
Sue Oscroft, founder of the Cheltenham Tourist Centre, said “I hope that the Tourist Information Centre will increase the visibility of one of the most iconic buildings in Cheltenham town, welcoming visitors inside for a service that has long been missing -offering information and inspiration to get the most out of our historic town.”
Jessica Brewster, CEO of The Cheltenham Trust, said “I am delighted to be welcoming Sue, Lyndsay and their passionate team of volunteers at the Tourist Information Centre to the Town Hall. With the loss of their previous base, we wanted to ensure that Cheltenham did not lose this invaluable service. We are also taking our first steps to reopening the ticket office at the Town Hall, so that customers can once again purchase tickets in person. The success of the Tourist Information Centre demonstrates the value of speaking to someone face-to-face and receiving personalised recommendations. Reopening our ticket office two days a week is a start, and we hope to be able to expand our opening hours soon so we can welcome even more of our community in to enjoy our iconic venues.”
The Cheltenham Tourist Centre is open Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm and is currently welcoming new volunteers. Full training is provided. To express an interest, please speak to the team at the Town Hall or email admin@cheltenhamtouristcentre.info. The Cheltenham Town Hall ticket office will open to in person bookings on Mondays and Thursdays 11am-1.30pm and phone lines are open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.
