The Lincolnshire Guide > News > Visit Lincolnshire In Administration After Funding Cut

Visit Lincolnshire In Administration After Funding Cut

The main tourism body for Lincolnshire, Visit Lincolnshire, has been forced into administration after a £205,000 budget cut by Lincolnshire County Council.

The budget cut comes as part of Lincolnshire County Council's requirement to save £125 million over the next four years.  The budget has not yet been confirmed by the Council, but Visit Lincolnshire's board of directors have taken the decision to appoint an administrator.  The move is likely to take Visit Lincolnshire into liquidation.

In a press statement to the Lincolnshire Echo, Visit Lincolnshire's interim chief executive, Marc Etches, said: "Despite our best efforts to persuade Lincolnshire County Council to recognise the value of Visit Lincolnshire and our role in promoting the growing tourism, Lincolnshire will be left out in the cold nationally and internationally.

"Considering the economic impact on tourism, it is disappointing that the county council, unlike district authorities, has not seen Visit Lincolnshire's value in the same light.

"The decision to cut Visit Lincolnshire's funding flies in the face of Government policy. David Cameron wants to see domestic tourism grow in the UK and Lincolnshire is well placed to make that happen, but it requires partnership working between industry and the public sector."

Jon Grubb, chairman of Visit Lincolnshire, stated that the most responsible decision had been made.

He said: "I am hugely disappointed that Visit Lincolnshire has been forced into administration.

"The advice the directors received was that, without the core county council funding, we would be in danger of trading insolvently.

"The directors agreed to the step with a heavy heart, but felt we had to act responsibly in both a moral and financial sense.

"The dedicated staff and directors have done everything in their power to try to save the organisation and I'm sorry our efforts weren't successful."

It is estimated that the tourism economy in Lincolnshire is worth around £1 billion and supports over 17,000 jobs - mainly in Lincoln and on the Lincolnshire Coast.  Parts of Lincoln and the Lincolnshire Coastline are some of the most deprived areas in the country and need increasing numbers of tourists in order to sustain the local economies and this will be a real blow to those efforts.

Sections of this article are based on an original article from the Lincolnshire Echo.  For comprehensive coverage of the story please check their website (link below) or buy a copy at your local Lincolnshire newsagent or street seller.

Article Published: 26/01/2011

Latest News

• Lincolnshire pips Cornwall to be crowned Britains favourite food spot
• Skegness 4th most popular UK holiday destination
• Switch on success in Mablethorpe as thousands turn out
• Over 46,000 people descend on Skegness for SO Festival 2011
• Touring caravan consultation underway

• Spilsby Show This Weekend
• Lincolnshire road closed after package found
• LIncolnshire Guide Is Changing
• Festival Line Up Is SO Exciting
• RNLI lifeguards prepare to begin their summer patrols on beaches