The £215,000 debt of Bath’s loss-making tourist office will be written off as it joins forces with Bristol’s and city bosses

“reconsider” the role of “traditional mass tourism”. 

B&NES Council will only have one vote out of eight in the new Visit West partnership, with the others going to neighbouring authorities and the region’s chambers of commerce. 

Conservative group Leader, Paul Myers, warned that Bath’s voice would be diluted and the city would “never forgive” the Liberal Democrat administration for the damage it will inflict on the economy. 

Deputy Council Leader, Richard Samuel, hit back at the Tories’ lack of oversight of Visit Bath, which lost £588,000, and pledged a review of the Council’s arm’s-length companies.

 

Council Leader, Dine Romero, told her cabinet colleagues: “This draws to a close a somewhat sorry state of affairs for the company charged with promoting Bath and the surrounding area. 

“We want to encourage the change in behaviour towards zero-carbon living, which means traditional mass tourism – with its associated negative consequences – needs reconsidering.” 

The cabinet voted for B&NES Council to join Visit West. The Visit Bath brand will remain and the booking office will be housed at Bath Forum.  

Stephen Sumner, LDRS