Last updated at 15:09, Wednesday, 26 November 2008

ULVERSTON Town Council fears for the future of the town’s economy.
Councillors are worried because the Lake District Peninsulas Tourism Partnership, which sells
Furness and parts of South Lakes as a tourist destination, is set to close in March after Barrow Borough Council and South Lakeland District Council were forced to end its funding.
The financial backing for LDPTP, which is based in Brewery Street, has been cut after the Northwest Regional Development Agency – which leads the region’s economic development and regeneration – restructured its funding allocation. SLDC provides LDPTP with £17,500 to spend on the Ulverston area. The council stressed that Ulverston needs to retain that amount when LDPTP closes.
Speaking at the town council meeting on Monday night, Councillor Norman Bishop-Rowe said: “We’ve lost a service that markets this area, and if marketing fails then employment is sure to follow.
The closure will be a great blow to those who were anticipating survival through the increased visitor numbers and employment predicted for the town with the unveiling of the Laurel and Hardy statue in April.”

First published at 15:08, Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk