Oxford's Visitor Information Centre to close permanently

Image source, Google

Image caption, Experience Oxfordshire said the centre was visited by 500,000 people every year

Oxford's Visitor Information Centre will permanently close, with its operator blaming Oxford City Council for withdrawing funding.

Experience Oxfordshire (EO) ran the centre in Broad Street but it has been closed since March.

It said was used by 500,000 people annually but that only one in six visitors to the centre bought anything.

The council said it was "saddened" but that it was "the largest financial supporter" of EO since 2011.

As part of its 2019/20 budget, the city council "phased out" 拢155,000 of funding to EO over three years. EO said 10 people could face redundancy.

Labour councillor Mary Clarkson said the authority hoped "a much greater focus on providing information digitally, online and through apps" would support tourism in Oxford in the future.

Liberal Democrat city councillor Liz Wade said the closure was a "forewarning of other losses to come" for the city.