A GROUP working to enhance the visitor experience in Weymouth is opening a new office in the town centre.

The Weymouth Business Improvement District (BID’s) new premises will be in the former Swinton Insurance office in Lower St Alban Street.

BID manager Nigel Reed said the office will act as a central point for levy payers to stay in touch and communicate face-to-face.

He said: “This gives levy payers a place where they can come and ask questions with a reception and someone on that reception.

“Being right in the heart of the town centre is a good location for us.”

It is hoped that the office will be open in the first week of April.

An administrative assistant will be taken on to work in the building and provide support for the team.

The post offers a £12,000 salary based on a 25-hour working week.

Festivals designed to attract visitors and to encourage people to spend money in the town are also in the pipeline for this year.

A new maritime festival will be introduced in September and the BID will once again put on a Halloween festival and aim to repeat the success of festive shopping event Victorian Show Night.

The BID has recently unveiled a £100,000 marketing campaign designed to attract middle class holidaymakers.

Mr Reed said there is a difference in the experience of visitors and residents to the town centre.

He said: “I think the town centre is perceived very differently by people who live here.

“If you talk to someone on holiday, they find there are enough shops to keep them happy.

“What we are doing at the moment is looking at footfall figures.

“We’re looking at other towns similar in size to Weymouth and seeing which shops they have.

“If there are similar towns that have got a shop that we don’t have, it’s in our interest to ask why and try to find out why we don’t have one in Weymouth.”

Mr Reed said much of the focus for the new advertising campaign will be attracting visitors to town out of season.

“Research from Bournemouth University and feedback from our levy payers shows that this needs to be improved.

“Traditionally everyone has relied on the local authority for tourism and this is a new thing.

“The BID is taking this on to try and bring more people here,” he said.