EFFORTS are to be made to try and improve the success of Chard’s flagging Tourist Information Centre based at the Guildhall.

The Chard TIC was not so long ago a thriving and busy office with local people and visitors going in to find out information and buy tickets for events happening elsewhere in the region.

But the fortunes of the TIC, managed by Chard Town Council, have dwindled in recent times with footfall dropping off and TIC volunteer numbers also in decline.

Acting town clerk Robin Williams, speaking at last week’s meeting of the council’s Guildhall and amenities committee, said: “Great efforts have been made to get volunteers here, but obtaining volunteers is always a problem in offices with low footfall.

“There is nothing more soul destroying than sitting in an office giving up your time and not getting anyone in.”

The council is looking at ways of keeping the TIC running the best it can due to staffing issues.

But Cllr Irene Glynn said: “I think it would be a shame if we run our TIC into the ground. We need a massive marketing campaign to get volunteers on board.”

Cllr Jason Baker added: “If we start weedling away at the TIC, we’ll never get it back to what it has been.”

It was suggested that the TIC began to suffer when its front door was sealed off to become a display window with visitors now only getting access to it via the Guildhall.

“We have gone down the pan since we closed off the front door,” said Cllr Cathie Morrison.

Cllr Garry Shortland agreed that the “demise of the door” had contributed to the TIC problems.

The council gets a grant each year from South Somerset District Council to provide TIC services in the town.

But Cllr Morrison warned: “It’s never guaranteed that we are going to get that money from the district council. We never know for sure.”

The town council is to form a working party of Cllrs Jason Baker, Irene Glynn, Jenny Kenton and Cathie Morrison to look at ways of reviving the TIC.

“I have got ideas of what we can do,” said Cllr Jenny Kenton, chairman of the council’s Guildhall and amenities committee.