AFTER the announcement the town’s tourist information centre is to close, Petersfield Town Council has stepped in to discuss ways of saving the service.

Reacting with urgency to the news, the council has set up a working party to look at the best way to retain part or all of the service after the given closure date of April 25.

Council spokesman Steve Field said: “Four councillors will be meeting to discuss possibilities, and will make their recommendations to the full council in March.

“There is a strong view among members that Petersfield should not lose this service on April 25, and ways to keep the service in operation will be looked at.”

And any potential move of venue that the working party may suggest won’t happen until further discussions have been held after the April 25 closure date, he added.

The closure announcement in January came despite Petersfield being viewed as one of the gateways to the South Downs National Park, and a popular visitor destination.

East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) said it was reallocating the £40,000 a year it pays Tourism South East to run the centre, as most visitors now looked online for information, and the centre wasn’t the best use of tourism money.

The council said it would now look at alternative ways of attracting visitors to the area.

EHDC councillor Glynis Watts said: “Over the past decade the number of people using the centre has fallen significantly and is expected to fall even further.

“We will focus on public relations, promotion and business support while also ensuring that leaflets and other forms of information are available.”

Last year there was talk of moving the centre into the former police station in St Peter’s Road, as part of its conversion into a museum and Victorian Justice Visitor Centre, but that plan has now been abandoned as there wouldn’t be enough space for it and exhibitions.

In 2015 the centre and its staff won an award for its work. Closing it and potentially laying off the one full time, three part time, and two casual staff members, wasn’t thought through says Petersfield Mayor Jamie Matthews.

He said: “EHDC didn’t talk to the town council, or South Downs National Park Authority, about this. Nor did it give a detailed strategy on what would replace the service the centre provides.

“So there is some urgency to this from the town council’s perspective.”

It is hoped the working party will have put together a potential rescue plan in time for the March meeting of the full council.

If the meeting supports the plan, it can be put into effect before the centre is due to close on April 25.