A VISITORS centre provided to welcome the hundreds of thousands of visitors to Marlow each year is set to close, with the service set to move to a new, smaller location.

Free Press readers reacted angrily when news emerged of a Wycombe District Council proposal to shut the town centre office on the corner of High Street and Institute Road and merge it into the library on Institute Road.

And last week WDC cabinet ruled that the move should go ahead, meaning the closure of the council-leased premises.

Residents warned the loss of the high profile site would be ‘a huge loss’ to the community.

In their decision, Cabinet members said the merger would ‘provide a more cost-effective service with a primary focus on promoting the District and providing access to District Council services.’

The move was taken, they say, after the successful integration of High Wycombe's tourist service into the library in the Eden Centre.

Princes Risborough will also see its tourist office moved to the library.

Marlow is the main beneficiary of tourism in the district, with over a million visits to the town’s council-owned car parks last year.

Open six days a week, the current centre provides a range of services centring on information for the thousands of leisure visitors to Marlow each month.

It also offers additional services such as help and advice with benefits and council services as well as a facility for paying council tax or parking fines.

The merger plan will retain these services, but as yet it is still unclear whether they will be accessible during the same opening hours.

What do you think about the decision? Is it a sensible cost effective measure or will it harm the town and its status as a tourist friendly destination?

Email peter.grant@london.newsquest.co.uk with your views.