Council cites savings as visitor centre set to close
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has announced plans to close the Enjoy Stockton visitor information centre "as soon as is practical" in a cost-saving move that will affect two full-time employees. The centre currently handles around 15,000 visitors a year, the authority said.
The council has opened a 30-day consultation to explore redeployment opportunities for the staff affected. Leaders say the closure is part of a wider package intended to reduce a budget shortfall that is forecast to grow significantly over the coming years.
"We talked about how we can get low spends and the highest outcomes and I think there's evidence across the council of us really trying to achieve that,"
Council deputy leader Paul Rowling acknowledged the difficulty of the decisions, saying the authority is "making savings" where it can while seeking to protect core services. The council said the immediate financial impact of closing the centre would be a saving of £50,000 this year, rising to £75,000 in future years.
Context: larger budget challenge for the borough
The move to shut the visitor centre sits alongside other proposed reductions in printed communications, including the end of the Stockton News newsletter, as the council moves to a more digital-first approach. The authority reports it has already realised £9.9m of savings, but faces a projected budget gap that it estimates at £6.7m this year, increasing to £18.4m by 2028-29.
| Item | Saving / Figure |
|---|---|
| Enjoy Stockton closure | £50,000 (this year); £75,000 (future years) |
| Current year budget gap | £6.7m |
| Projected gap by 2028-29 | £18.4m |
| Total already saved | £9.9m |
Broader measures and local impact
The council says the largest reductions are expected to come from an internal spending review covering agency staff, overtime, casual labour, mileage, recruitment, training, room hire, travel, callouts and print and stationery. The authority estimates these measures could save about £507,000 this year and around £482,000 in each of the following two years.
For local residents and businesses the closure of a physical visitor hub raises questions about how tourists and visitors will be supported. The council has indicated it will boost online and social media communications as an alternative to printed leaflets and an on-site service, but some community groups and traders may be concerned about the loss of a staffed point of contact in the town centre.
- Two full-time staff affected; 30-day consultation opened.
- Enjoy Stockton deals with roughly 15,000 visitors annually.
- Council aims to shift to digital-first communications and reduce print costs.
The consultation gives staff time to explore redeployment or other outcomes, but no final decision has yet been taken. As the council works through its three-year savings plan, residents and local organisations will be watching to see how changes to visitor services and communications are implemented and what support is provided to mitigate impacts on town-centre footfall and visitor experience.
