Councillors will decide whether to merge Abergavenny’s tourist information centre into the Town Hall following its refurbishment, it has emerged.

A meeting of the council’s economic and development select committee will next week discuss the issue, ahead of a final cabinet decision.

County councillors will ’consider the feasibility’ of shifting the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) from the Tithe Barn, and into Abergavenny Town Hall, after closure of the barn’s cafe hit the service.

A report due to be presented to the committee said the plans would first involve a feedback report, the result of which would be passed onto the decision-making cabinet at Monmouthshire County Council.

The TIC moved from the bus station car park, to the Tithe Barn back in 2014.

The report, authored by council officer Kath Fallon says, "At the time of moving the TIC, the Tithe Barn presented a great location as it was offering a tangible arrival offer to visitors which included heritage tours from the courtyard, a Welsh produce café, access to toilets and a heritage exhibition.

"However, in 2018, the café ceased trading and in the same year it was announced that the Tithe Barn would host a Welsh Language Centre of Excellence. Sadly, the closure of the café and reduced accessibility to the exhibition has significantly reduced the viability of the TIC service in its current location. Visitor numbers to the TIC have reduced by 19.2 per cent and the income generated through its retail offer has reduced by 24 per cent due to the diminished offer to coach visitors," it states.

Pointing to tightening budgets, the document proposes moving the TIC into the Town Hall, where it presents an ’opportunity to increase footfall’ whilst also sharing costs.

The council hopes this plan would bolster the financial viability of the Borough Theatre, of which it took control last year.

Its central location could help increase both numbers of visitors, and income, whilst reducing overall costs long-term, the report suggests. Though, it admits sharing the facility may ’prove difficult to deliver.’

The document states, "The council is soon to embark on a major refurbishment of Abergavenny Town Hall. As a result the Borough Theatre box office will be moved from its current location to a larger office within the building that could lend also lend itself to the provision of a TIC service. In times of increasing pressure on the funds of public sector organisations, the funders of the TIC service namely BBNPA, the Council and Abergavenny Town Council, need to ensure that funding invested in services, delivers maximum value for money. For a TIC service, that means engaging with as many visitors as possible whilst also maximising the income generation potential of the service, as this is a crucial element of funding the service. The location of the Town Hall in the centre of the town presents an opportunity to increase footfall whilst also sharing operational costs of service delivery with the Theatre’s Box Office."

The report also states that the move would not require any additional funding from MCC.

Councillors will discuss the issue at a meeting is set for April 10, before passing the decision to Cabinet.