A PETITION to save Dorchester’s Tourist Information Centre (TIC) has already received more than 300 signatures of support.

Town and district councillor David Taylor launched the petition last Wednesday with the backing of West Dorset District Council's Nigel Bundy, Steve Bulley from the Dorchester Chamber and Phil Gordon from the BID.

In efforts to save the valued TIC the Dorchester community is being urged to pop into the Top End Deli on Antelope Walk to sign the petition and voice their opinions and ideas.

An eight-week consultation period has been launched as West Dorset District Council considers the future of the service.

The two options being put forward for consultation are to relocate the Tourist Information Centre from its current premises in Antelope Walk to Dorchester Library and Learning Centre, a move that will save around £99,000 a year with a one-off cost of £50,000 or to replace the centre with an unmanned Tourist Information Point (TIP).

Petition forms are now available at the Top End Deli.

Dorchester resident Esther Rose took 50 forms to dispatch in her area near Top o’ Town. She said: “I think the TIC should stay and we need to keep it where it is. People from all over the world come to Dorchester to visit and the first place they will want to go is the TIC, which should be in the centre of the town. A lot of the residents in this area wont be able to get down to the library easily.”

Cllr Taylor said: “You need to have your say or we could potentially see the end of the TIC.”