A NEW temporary visitor information centre (VIC) has been opened at Ludlow Assembly Rooms (LAR) today.

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne opened the new facility which will be staffed by a bank of volunteers.

"I would like to congratulate the Assembly Rooms for taking this on. I think it is a great thing that you have done to keep it going," said Mr Dunne.

Following cuts to Shropshire Council's budget, the local authority entered into talks to discuss the possibility of LAR running the visitor information service.

An agreement was reached in September last year and LAR took on the lease of the ground floor of the building.

Building work to reconfigure this space, which faces the market, is currently at the planning stage and a major fundraising campaign will be launched soon.

This means as a short-term measure the VIC has been relocated to the third floor of LAR.

Once the building work is complete, the VIC will move back to its original location on the ground floor.

LAR plans to become a community hub and offer a combined VIC and box office service from its refurbished ground floor.

This will be housed in the space that was formerly occupied by the VIC, facing on to Castle Square.

The museum will move to the Buttercross once refurbishment work there has been completed.

The VIC will be open from 10 to 8pm from Monday to Saturday. Leaflets, information and internet access will be available.

The VIC will be staffed by volunteers until 4pm and will remain open into the evening unstaffed.

To volunteer visit the box office or call 01584 878141.