“Save the information Centre” which has now over 5,000 signatures online and over 1,500 signatures for our paper petition predominately from SP1 and SP2 postcodes was started and has been actively supported by a small group of people. We need to put on record our reasons and the subsequence changes of the initial proposal.

Firstly, I need to clarify, my reason for fighting this decision has in no way been to gain financially, as some have been suggesting. My only reason is to support an award winning information centre to remain in the centre of our wonderful city. My message has been consistent throughout this campaign. It’s the wrong decision at the wrong time in the wrong place. Whether, as now proposed, in the front of the Guildhall or the Shop Mobility building.

We attended both the committee meetings and there are discrepancies between the two. At the Services Committee a vote was cast to spend £35k on improving the Shop Mobility site and to merge the Information centre into the one building. A meet and greet facility would be retained at the front of the Guildhall to hand out maps and give directions to cathedral etc and to direct anyone wanting a more detailed service or information to the new Maltings site.

The Resources and Governance Committee a couple of weeks later, Matt Dean apologised for doing a U-turn on the original decision to now provide tourists with a “FULL Tourist Information facility at the front of the Guildhall. Cllr Daley lost his cool and responded in an angry and irritated manner at a member of the public who was asking for clarity what they were voting for. Matt Dean replied, we are voting to spend £35k to upgrade Shop Mobility, he did not mention moving the info centre at that time. Although a press release the next day stated, that was what was voted for.

It’s impossible to give a FULL tourist information service at the front of the Guildhall. The two small rooms either side of the entrance could not accommodate them and when there is a function in the Guildhall do we really want visitors finding themselves in the middle of a wedding reception or a private function and made to feel unwelcome intruders

There is no disabled access at the front of the Guildhall. They will have access to information via the “back of the building” a term Cllrs used to explain, why it’s better to welcome visitors at the front of the building. Fish Row is not a good enough entrance for able bodied according to the city council but ok for anyone with a mobility problem or are disabled. So they have voted to downgrade the offering to anyone with a disability

Savings could be achieved keeping both sites separate with just a little give and take, rather than and I quote, “we’ve made the decision and we don’t hold consultations once a decision is made.” Sadly Cllr Dean, no consultation took place.

People of Salisbury we need to ensure, in the future, no one party has over all control, as that is when, apparently in Salisbury, democracy ends.

Mary Webb

Salisbury