Hopes of full recovery for James Herriot attraction in Thirsk (From The Northern Echo)

Hopes of full recovery for James Herriot attraction in Thirsk

10:00am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Thirsk News

A TOURIST attraction which has seen a dramatic fall in visitors could be set for a new lease of life.

It is understood the Herriot Country Tourism Group has approached Hambleton District Council, which owns The World of James Herriot, in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, to take over operations.

The group is developing a business plan to turn around the attraction, which is a tribute to the life and work of vet and author Alf Wight, and where annual visitor numbers have dropped to 24,000 from the 40,000 when it opened in 1999.

The scheme was aired at a meeting of the council’s cabinet, where members agreed to inject a £60,000 subsidy into the museum for the coming year and also set aside £50,000 to maintain the property, which would continue to be owned the authority if the proposal goes ahead.

Negotiations are to be held between the authority and the group in the coming weeks and it is thought the running of the attraction could be transferred at the end of next month.

Councillors said the move had come as a surprise because plans to sell the centre to a private firm, which wanted to run it as a charitable trust, had been put on hold because the museum had been making a deficit.

“Safeguarding the future of the museum is crucial. It is still the magnet and anchor for tourism for the whole area.”

Museum manager, Phil Bustard

The museum is regarded as the area’s “jewel in the crown” by some tourism based companies and those who see maintaining the Herriot brand as vital in attracting visitors, both foreign and British, to North Yorkshire.

The museum’s manager, Phil Bustard, who has developed a range of initiatives aimed at boosting the attraction’s income, said: “Safeguarding the future of the museum is crucial. It is still the magnet and anchor for tourism for the whole area.”

Councillor Tim Swales said the authority would be keen to pass over the museum’s operation if a robust business plan was presented by the group.

He said: “We are looking to cut our revenue costs all round and we have to be very sensitive about this.”