A GROUP of town attractions which are working to support each other have branched out in a bid to save a trouble-hit Tourist Information Centre and a library from closure.

Earlier this year members of Welcome to Richmond set up a Town Ticket to give tourists cut-priced entry to Richmond Castle, Richmondshire Museum, Green Howards Museum, Georgian Theatre Royal, and the Station, and are also supported by Richmond Online and the town council.

The town’s Tourist Information Centre (TIC) has been hit with problems in the last year after being unable to find a suitable premises – but town councillor Stuart Parsons came up with a plan to use the library, in Queen's Road, as a new base.

He said: “We hope to move the TIC into the library in the next two weeks.

“It will hopefully save the TIC, which it vitally important to our tourism, and help preserve our library which is under threat from budget cuts.

“In time we hope to have enough volunteers to be able to extend opening hours and open the library on a Sunday.”

The TIC was based in a small unit in Friary Gardens in the town until it was forced to close in early 2013, when Richmondshire Leisure Trust could no longer afford to run it.

The service then moved into the ground floor of hardware shop, Rodber’s opposite the previous centre – but a year later the firm told volunteers the store would be closed so it could concentrate on its building merchant outlet.

The TIC was able to stay within the unit until late last year – but in January fresh hope for the tourism service emerged with plans to move into the library.

Cllr Parsons added: “We have been working with the North Yorkshire County Council library service and they have been brilliant.”

He said although some original volunteers from the TIC were joining the new team in the library, more assistance was always needed.

“If we can get another couple of volunteers so we can have a rota of two in the morning and two in the afternoon we can run a quality service,” he added.

The TIC can give advice for tourists on local attractions, places to stay and eateries, as well as residents who want to find out about events and clubs on offer.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Cllr Parsons on 01748-823456.