A TOURIST guide for Ashbourne costing £1,400 has been rejected by the town’s council.
But, councillors are set to consider investigating the idea further with a view to providing a brochure for visitors.
At a meeting of Ashbourne Town Council on Monday last week, councillors considered proposals that they fund a new tourist guide for the town, as the current brochure has not been updated since 1984.
Councillor Caroline Cooper said: “I feel that it is not the town council’s responsibility to be providing tourist information guides.
“While I think it is a possibility that we could provide some funding towards it, I don’t think we should be major funders or sponsors of it.
“I don’t think we’ve made any provision in the budget to provide these pamphlets.” However, support for the idea, although not in the format presented to the council by Peter Birkbeck at a finance committee meeting on January 9, was given to a future project involving the town council and other organisations creating a new brochure.
Councillor Steve Bull said: “We do need to promote the town of Ashbourne with tourist information.
“I think the town council could do one ourselves for that sort of money. I’m not a believer that we should always go with the first person in the door.
“We have fallen foul on other items where we’ve let people loose with council money and not got what we wanted from it.” It was also hinted that the town council could approach Ashbourne Partnership with a view to producing a new tourist guide for the town.
Councillor Paul Hanbury said: “I do think there’s a need for some sort of publication that promotes Ashbourne.
“Dare I say it, if we feel £1,400 is too much, this is something we could do with someone else. Maybe someone who is next door to us and would be very keen?” It was also proposed that the Siosysur- Seine committee could be a part of a new publication, promoting Ashbourne overseas and emulating a council-led brochure in the French town which aims to promote business and tourism.
