Closure of visitor centre delayed until Autumn

Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) has agreed to delay the closure of a visitor centre until the end of October.

Members met on Friday to consider the next steps in proposals to close the National Park Visitor Centre at The Duchy Hotel in Princetown.

A report outlined the need to make ongoing savings in the authority's budget "to help address a real-term reduction in central government funding".

The decision to delay the closure comes after consultation with staff and trade unions and calls for a rethink by traders and residents.

In November, Dartmoor National Park Authority agreed not to renew or extend the lease for the visitor centre building beyond March 2026.

But the centre will now remain open until the Autumn.

Authority chairwoman Pamela Woods said: "Members agreed to keep the centre open and to draw £50,000 from reserves to cover staffing costs, though this doesn't include costs linked to the wider building.

"When the centre formally closes, we will ensure a smooth transition back to the landlord ahead of the lease expiry date in March 2026.

"Meanwhile, we will continue to engage with partners and the wider community to explore other longer-term visitor offers."

Out of three options, members agreed to keep the visitor centre open until the end of October 2025.

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