Tavistock Visitor Information Centre reopened today, more than four years after it was closed
during local government cutbacks. The revived service will be entirely provided by a team of
volunteers who have donated their time to help visitors and locals find out more about what’s
on offer in the town and the local area. As before, the VIC will be situated in Court Gate, the
ancient archway in Bedford Square which used to serve as the main gate into the courtyard of
Tavistock Abbey.
As well as handing out advice and visitor information, the new VIC will also have a strong
heritage theme, a reflection of its new managers, the charity Tavistock Heritage Trust. In
keeping with the Trust’s objectives, the primary goal of the VIC will be to inform the public
about the fascinating history and heritage of Tavistock and its surroundings. The VIC will, for
instance, be a hub for heritage walking tours around the town, offering both self-guided walks
and others led by local historians.
Chairman of the Trust Andrew Main said: “This is a huge day for the Trust and the culmination
of a great deal of work. Our goal is for the VIC to be a beacon in the middle of the town,
directing visitors and locals both to local businesses and attractions and to Tavistock’s unique
heritage.”
“We’d like to thank all our volunteers and the local community for their support in getting the
project off the ground, especially the Rotary Club of Tavistock and the property services
Press Release August 2018
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company Ian Williams Ltd. We must also acknowledge the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund,
since the reopening of the VIC is part of the wider HLF-funded Guildhall Gateway Project. Most
of all, though, our thanks go to our consultant Jo Butler, whose guidance and hard work have
made the entire project possible.”
Tavistock Town Mayor, Councillor Paul Ward said: “The opening of the Visitor Information
Centre is an important event for the town. It will fill the yawning gap created by the closure of
the old tourist information centre and will greatly improve the town’s offer to locals and visitors
alike. This is the first result of a continuing collaboration between Tavistock Heritage Trust and
Tavistock Town Council that will ultimately lead to the reopening of the Guildhall to the public
and further enhance the attractiveness of our town to visitors. In recognition of the importance
of the project the Town Council, which owns Court Gate, is not charging rent for the use of the
premises. On behalf of the Council I would like to express my thanks to all the volunteers who
will be greeting and assisting our visitors and wish the project every success.”
Chairman of the Tavistock Business Improvement District Robin Rich said: “Tavistock BID would
like say a huge thank you to everyone involved in getting the VIC off the ground – it has been a
fantastic achievement. Tavistock has been without a dedicated staffed information centre for
over 4 years, but we now have that facility back and Tavistock will be a better place for it. The
BID will continue to support and help grow the VIC over the coming years.”
The VIC’s long-term future will be dependent on local people giving their time by volunteering
to staff the Centre – this will be an exciting role with plenty of variety and interest. If you’d like
to get involved, visit www.heritageintavistock.org/volunteer, or call Geri Parlby on 01822
852102. Alternatively, drop by the VIC during opening hours and have a chat with one of our
volunteers.
To contact the VIC, email hello@visit-tavistock.co.uk, or ring 01822 612938. The Centre will be
open Wednesday through