Keswick’s Lake District National Park Authority-run tourist information centre is set to close at the end of the month, ending a service in the town that goes back more than two decades.
The centre in the Moot Hall has served millions of visitors to the town and surrounding national park.
The authority says a rent rise along with increasing costs has led to the decision to close, a move which will affect seven members of staff now facing redundancy.
Sarah Calderbank, head of communications and engagement at the Lake District National Park Authority said: “We have worked hard to search for alternative premises and consider ways to support visitors in the Keswick area, however we are disappointed to confirm this search has not yet been successful.
“On January12 we launched a 30-day consultation to review the staffing structure at Keswick, unfortunately this places seven members of staff on part-time and zero hours contracts at risk of redundancy.
“This is not the outcome the authority wanted, and we will continue to search for alternative premises, including a potential option to retain a visitor information presence in the Moot Hall with the incoming tenant, however this is not currently confirmed.”
