PLANS to close Corsham Tourist Information Centre and replace it with a watered down' service in the town hall have been revealed.

North Wiltshire District Council has said providing the service is no longer a strategic priority.

The town council hopes to run an information point' at Corsham Town Hall to replace the TIC and heritage centre.

Speculation about the future of Arnold House, where the TIC is currently based, is mounting.

Council chiefs say Corsham police could use the hall as a town centre base, or it could be turned into a caf, shop or a storage area for the town council.

The cost of running the TIC is estimated at about £57,000 a year and the town council currently provides the use of Arnold House free of charge.

Corsham Town Council chairman Jock Fraser said: "The decision was made by the district council not to run the TICs anymore.

"They wanted us to take over the running of it but we felt we couldn't put the extra burden on the taxpayer.

"Our precept is only £300,000 so to take on a responsibility of more than £50,000 would be a huge burden."

Corsham Chamber of Commerce put forward a proposal for the TIC and Heritage Centre to be run by a community development trust, but the council rejected this.

Cllr Fraser said: "Around four years ago we used to run a very small tourist information point at the town hall.

"I would like the running of it to stay in the hands of a local authority as the future would be more secure.

"The way people are travelling around the country is changing now. The internet is used a lot more to look at places and to book tickets or accommodation."

Nina Hammett, owner of Green Ginger in the Martingate Shopping Centre said: "We have got a petition in the shop to save the heritage centre, which arrived late on Tuesday night and we are already on the third page.

"People are concerned it will close because if there isn't the service fewer people will come to Corsham and they won't stay here if they don't know where to go."

The TIC provides many services including bus and train timetables, attraction leaflets, theatre programmes and information packs for people moving to the area.