Bob Greenland, cabinet member for tourism and economic development at Monmouthshire County Council, contacted the Beacon this week to respond to some of the concerns voiced by Beacon readers about the Welcome Centre proposals.
Councillor Greenland said:
"People have questioned the need for a Welcome Centre and asked why we need one in Monmouth.
"Firstly, three independent studies conducted by tourism and leisure consultants in 1999, 2002 and 2006, all concluded that, whilst Monmouth is a 'robust' market town, it constantly underperforms in the tourism market.
"Monmouth is a gateway between England and Wales, positioned at the heart of the Wye Valley with a rich, though sometimes hidden, history - it is remarkable that the town does not perform better. There is a lack of visitor accommodation and most importantly, in the numbers of visitors themselves. The Cabinet of MCC has recently agreed to sell a site at Portal road for a hotel rather than for the more lucrative retail use. We shall be retaining a portion of ground as a coach park, which will be a short distance from the Welcome Centre.
"In 2006 Monmouth TIC recorded 23,900,visitors compared with 44,230 at Abergavenny and 48,516 at Chepstow and 70-75,000 in recent years at similarly placed 'strategic' TIC locations in Oswestry and Brecon.
"For these reasons, along with the heightened opportunities presented by the Ryder Cup, Eisteddfod and Olympics between 2010 and 2012, studies have indicated that it would not be unreasonable to estimate a Welcome Centre facility generating between 50,000 and 60,000 visitors per annum and possibly more. Assuming the lower estimate of 50,000, using accepted statistical formulae this would produce an extra spend of over £534,000 in the town and immediate area.
"If the TIC remained in the refurbished Shire Hall it could never hope to achieve this level, hidden away in a small part of the building, with restrictions on advertising itself on a listed building. Neither could that be achieved in its proposed temporary location adjacent to the museum."
Councillor Greenland continued:
"Some respondents have said that the money would be better spent on improved health facilities, litter cleansing or youth facilities. Crucial as these services are, the fact remains that the external funding being applied for is only available to projects that encourage tourism activity in Welsh rural communities. It cannot be used for any other purpose and if we are unsuccessful in this bid, the money will be used on other tourism projects outside the county that have also applied to the fund. Our officers are very skilled at putting together bids that will attract funds and I have no doubt that only high quality projects such as this will be considered.
On the subject of whether tourists will visit a centre, Councillor Greenland was keen to stress that the Welcome Centre will not be a tourism 'destination' in itself.
"Its sole purpose is to provide a high quality entrance befitting the town, 'whetting the appetite' of the visitor to explore the hidden natural and historic gems through interpretation, information and signposting. It won't be a 'fill up and go' service station, as some have implied.
"It will provide just enough intrigue and interest to encourage visitors to take the journey through the town's hidden history - whether discovering Shire Hall's Chartist connections, the birthplace of Henry V or exploring the significance of the unique, gated mediaeval bridge.
"A renewed toilet block roof, rack of leaflets and improved softscaping will do nothing to motivate visitors to make the 300m journey to the Shire Hall; that would make little sense of what the town has to offer. First impressions last! A high quality arrival point, with interactive information and interpretation will encourage visitors to remain and dwell in the town.
"Clearly, the additional promotion and marketing of the town's attractions via the Welcome Centre will increase visitor interest in the town, as will other projects such as the renovation of the Shire Hall. Tourism is a very competitive business. We are doing everything we can to help local businesses.
What about parking?
"MCC is currently undertaking a review of parking allocation across the county and this assessment will inform future decisions on parking needs - taking account of future needs as well as existing pressures. We have already received developer interest in additional surface parking opportunities within the town, and these sites will form part of our considerations."
But is it worth the money?
"If progressed, 80% of the costs will be from external funding sources with MCC contributing £618,000 towards the first phase. All but a fraction of the MCC contributions will be from funds allocated for helping match-funding projects such as this. However, even if visitor increases are half the numbers projected, the payback period for the County Council investment would be less than three years. The Welcome Centre proposal will provide a high quality arrival point, strengthen Monmouth's position in the tourism market, and increase visitor spend within the town, strengthening the vitality of the town.
Finally this project would not have been undertaken without local consultation. There HAS been support for the scheme including the Town Council, Monmouth Partnership Forum and Chamber of Commerce although I accept some readers of the Beacon take a different view. If any readers would like further information on the proposals please feel free to contact me, or ring our Regeneration Officer, Colin Phillips, on 01633 644848."