Dartmoor visitor centre set to close next year

A visitor centre on Dartmoor in Devon is set to close next year due to funding challenges, bosses have said.

The Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) said Princetown Visitor Centre, which is based in the Duchy Hotel, would close in March 2025, subject to a consultation.

The authority reached its decision at a meeting on 1 November and negotiations were due to begin with the landlord, the Duchy of Cornwall.

A spokesperson said it had seen a 40% decline in funding since 2011 and while one-off grants had been welcome they were not "long-term solutions".

They added the authority's focus was now on supporting colleagues and a consultation with staff and trade unions would take place.

The DNPA said: "The scale of the financial challenges for England's National Parks, as well as the wider public sector, is well documented though it doesn't make these decisions any the less painful or difficult."

It said proposals to close the visitor centre at Princetown were considered in 2022, but a one-off grant of £440,000 from the government in March 2023 allowed the centre to stay open until March 2025.

Kevin Bishop, chief executive for Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: "It's really bad news for us as an authority, it's bad news for Dartmoor as a national park, I think it's bad news for the local community.

"For 15 years we have seen our core income reduce, for the last five years it has been standstill.

"The financial reality is that our core income is reduced, we are looking at a deficit for the next financial year of £500,000

"We've got no idea whether we will get an increase from government, we need to act now to try and start balancing the books.

He added: "We need to remember that even if Princetown closes, there will still be two visitor centres in Dartmoor, both award winning.

"We will look at what we can do if we have to close the visitor centre at Princetown, we are committed to community and we will do everything we can to make sure we deliver a national park that everyone can be proud of."

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