PLANS to move the town’s tourist information centre into a new £950,000 community building have stalled.
Malvern Hills District Council unanimously approved it would be moving the Church Street-based service to Avenue Road at a meeting last September.
The authority planned to demolish Priory Lodge Council Chamber on Avenue Road and replace it with a new building which would house the TIC.
However, the move has been put on hold after new district council leader Coun David Chambers confirmed Priory Lodge had been listed.
Coun Chambers said options are currently under consideration to see how aspirations for the site can be progressed.
In the meantime, the TIC will continue to operate from its current location.
Priory Lodge, which was built in 1919 as a school gymnasium, was listed as a Grade II building by Historic England on Tuesday, January 24.
High Street Malvern chairman Roger Sutton believes a lack of public consultation regarding the move of the TIC was the district council’s downfall.
“It is so embarrassing for them,” he said.
“Before they agreed the move they did not get views from residents.
“That is why they are in a pickle.
“The TIC is the honey pot for Malvern.
“It is used by more than 70,000 people a year and as a result of being in there, they then go to the nearby shops.
“If the TIC is moved from the centre of town those shops are going to suffer.”
Rodney Randle, who owns Malvern Goldsmiths on Bellevue Terrace, was so concerned over the future of the TIC he launched a petition which has been signed by more than 2,500 people.
The 71-year-old told the Observer he would stop collecting signatures at the end of June before presenting the petition to the district council.
“Tourism is the main industry in Malvern and I am sure a lot of the shops and hotels rely on the TIC,” Mr Randle added.
“The district council had the good idea of putting it where it was in the first place as it is very visible.
“Those reasons for putting it on Church Street are the best ones for keeping it there.”
Malvern Town Council has also launched an online petition which has been signed 590 times.
To sign the petition, visit http://bit.ly/2qnCNMs.
