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*Newry.ie understand that the Newry Tourist Office which operated out of Bagenal's Castle until recently is now closed, with tourist queries being directed to Downpatrick 'just' 30 miles away! Museum facilities continue as normal at the facility.
It means that visitors to Newry have nowhere to visit to find out information on places to go or places to stay, find out about a history trail or Festivals in the area, or get directed to local tourism providers.
Also known as Newry Visitor Information Centre, the facility replaced the Tourist Office run by Maureen Grant at Newry Town Hall many years ago. Actually a sign for 'visitor information' still remains at Sugar Island albeit on one of the few remaining cast iron signs left in the city.
It could be argued that the office location at Bagnal's Castle was not ideal, with it being difficult to access from the town centre by foot due to the dual carriage way and no obvious signage indicating where it was but it still was a useful facility for some. It's not known if the measure is temporary or permanant.
The Council's tourism website visitmournemountains.co.uk indicates that the facility is still in place at Bagenal's Castle, but Newry.ie has heard from several different sources that it no longer operates there.
We sent a press query to the Council on the matter over a month ago on 18 March asking if Newry still had a Tourist Office but they didn't reply. We contacted them today, again without reply.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council's own Tourism Strategy 2017-2021 speaks about gateway towns and villages and states that Newry 'acts as the primary gateway to the Mournes and Ring of Gullion from the Republic of Ireland.' The Strategy even states the role of the Gateway entails 'Orienting the visitor and servicing their information needs'. How this is done properly without a physical presence isn't explained. You couldn't make it up.
Explaining Newry's significance as a Tourism offering, the Council's own Strategy states 'The City of Newry is the largest settlement in NMD and is located on the Belfast to Dublin corridor. It acts as the primary gateway to the Mournes and Ring of Gullion from the Republic of Ireland. The city has a long history as a medieval town, an industrial port with the oldest summit level canal in Ireland and the UK, and now the administrative centre of NMD. With its rich maritime and industrial heritage, its literary association with writers such as Jonathan Swift, its retail and hospitality base, and its close proximity to two AONBs, Newry is well positioned to fulfil its role as a major gateway.'
The Tourism Strategy even mentions issues that need to be dealt with to enable Newry City to reach its full potential but it could be said that removal of the Tourist Office goes totally contradictory to all three of them.
The Issues:
• The City lacks a true identity as a visitor destination.
• There are issues associated with parking (particularly for coaches), ease of navigation and related traffic congestion, availability of good public toilets, accessibility of the tourist information centre, and general aesthetics associated with the public realm.
• The community has yet to maximise key local assets such as the Newry Ship Canal.
To rub salt into the wound the Strategy even states in relation to Newry City 'The development of a stronger gateway community can be further enhanced through: ... 'Access to good Information and booking services – this will become critical in the event of the Mournes and Ring of Gullion area being successful in gaining designation as a Geopark.'
The questions we asked the Council today:
1: When did the Tourist Office Close in Newry?
2: At what meeting was this decided?
3: Are all tourism queries now dealt with from Downpatrick?
4: In the Council’s Tourism Strategy 2017-2021 document, referring to Newry as a “Primary Gateway" it says: "The development of a stronger gateway community can be further enhanced through: … Access to good Information and booking services” Is this not in direct contradiction to closing the local tourism office and not providing an alternative in the city?
We still await their reply.
* UPDATE 28/4
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council have replied to our query regarding our observations that the Tourism Centre must be closed, following the publication of this story. Their reply states: "Newry Visitor Information Centre is located in Bagenal's Castle. More information on the Visitor Information Centres in the district can be accessed at the following link: www.visitmournemountains.co.uk." Unfortunately their short answer doesn't state whether the facility is actually open or not and on the same day as their reply we have been told by members of the public that they were informed by Council Staff the facility is closed! We further asked if any tourists calling in to the facility now would be dealt with and we await their reply.
* UPDATE 28/4 5pm
Council have sent a second reply to our queries, a little longer than the first "Newry Visitor Information Centre is open and there are no plans to change the current service provision."
