Fleetwood's Tourist Information Centre named best in Lancashire

5:45pm Wednesday 20th August 2008

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While Team GB are grabbing medals on the other side of the world, back here in Wyre there's also a gold and silver worth celebrating.

Fleetwood Tourist Information Centre has beaten off stiff competition to be named the best centre in Lancashire.

There's a place on the winner's' podium, too, for Cleveleys which came a close second.

The rankings were handed out by the North West Development Agency to each of the 15 tourist information centres countywide following a mystery shopper exercise.

This involved random enquiries by telephone, email and in person.

Points were also given for the appearance of the centre and staff interaction.

Both the Fleetwood and Cleveleys centres, which are run by Wyre Borough Council, scored an amazing 99.7 per cent, but Fleetwood pinched the title after sending a follow-up email to an enquiry which was considered beyond the call of duty.

Fleetwood will now go forward to the North West final where it will compete against four other winners from Cumbria, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

The overall winner will be announced at the North West Tourism Awards in Liverpool on 22 October.

Councillor Peter Hawley, Living Economy Portfolio Holder for Wyre Borough Council, said: "To come first and second in the same year is a wonderful achievement and reflects the hard work, professionalism and welcoming attitude of the staff.

"With so much going on in Wyre, we're always keen that visitors get the most from their trip. Now we can encourage them to call in to an award-winning tourist information centre for the most reliable information on what to do and where to stay."

Both centres continue to be very busy all-year round with Fleetwood having dealt with approximately 18,000 enquiries in the first half of this year and Cleveleys just short of 16,000. Staff are able to provide information on Wyre attractions, events and activities, book accommodation, take theatre bookings and much more.

Visitors to the centres can also purchase maps, books, souvenirs and stamps.