TIC could become a charitable trust.

DBNews is a little late with this news item but it is important for the future of the Town, so we reprint the item from the Dartmouth Chronicle as a matter of record. Clearly this new model for the TIC is a major change in their approach so it will be important to support them if you feel they help promote the town. 

Dartmouth Chronicle:

DARTMOUTH Tourist Inform­ation Centre could become a charitable trust in order to secure its position as the shop window of the town. TIC chairman Angie Cairns-Sharp said they were looking to possibly restructure the operation. But the new business model was still dependent on support from businesses in the town, she stressed.

‘We are exploring all options to take the centre forward after the summer,’ she said. ‘We are looking for new directors and trustees as the centre could possibly now look to restructure to become a charitable trust to take it forward. ‘We are also working with Mayflower 400, the museum and the town council.’

Mrs Cairns-Sharp was speaking after end of year accounts just posted with Companies House show the TIC had fallen into the red by £8,000 as of the end of August last year. But she said the TIC had seen the ‘writing on the wall’ and had taken steps to put things right.

‘Following recent announcements regarding the new arrangements we have made for safeguarding the Discover Dartmouth website and brochure, we feel we now have a viable and credible business model for the centre post-August 2016, but in the short term we still have cash-flow challenges to contend with,’ she said.

‘A significant part of the new model does, however, rely on income from businesses continuing to promote themselves via their leaflets and brochures and posters in the centre and we would like to gauge interest for this.

‘With in excess of 100,000 people calling into the multi-award winning centre year on year, there continues to be a great demand from visitors and locals for information on businesses and services and we hope that the centre is something businesses can consider to support and utilise, as much of what the team do is signposting people to businesses and attractions.

‘We are hoping that most businesses, tourist or not, will pay £50 a year to promote their business via literature and, or a poster and utilise the huge footfall of consistently in excess of 100,000 visitors and local residents, who are all seeking information on businesses and services in the town and area.

‘The new business model for September onwards, which is viable and credible, does still rely on businesses supporting this town facility.’

3 Comments on TIC could become a charitable trust.

  1. How are they looking to recruit new Directors? From the circle they know or do they want people who have commercial and marketing experience in a major leading edge company who can think out of the box.

    • Michael - I suggest you approach Angie Cairns-Sharpe and register your interest in the Directors roles. I believe the exisiting Directors plan to resign in August so you have time to discuss options with Angie.

  2. ‘The new business model for September onwards, which is viable and credible, does still rely on businesses supporting this town facility.’

    Has anyone actually seen this ?

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