A one-stop visitor information point has opened in Newcastle - in ideal time for the hordes of tourists set to descend on the city for the big rugby weekend.
The outlet has opened at Stack and is packed with information which aims to address just about any question that a visitor might think to ask.
The Visitor Information Centre has a prime location in the city centre container village which opened in summer 2018 with a varied selection of food and drink outlets.
Based on its ground floor, and accessible from the New Bridge Street West side, it is now stocked with a wealth of leaflets featuring everything from the location of free wi-fi areas to facilities for the disabled.
It will be helping to plug a gap in service since the closure of the last tourist information centre in Newcastle in 2015 when, due to budget cuts, the final branch closed in Market Street, following that of the Grainger Street centre nine years earlier; leaving new arrivals in the city largely relying upon well-informed hotel receptionists and leaflet pick-ups to learn more about what's on offer.
Since then the likes of the adjacent Grainger Market and intu Eldon Square have housed information stands where passers-by can pick up details about North East attractions.
And now Stack is hoping to cover all the bases with its information point offering a wide range of leaflets and brochures for visitors to take away and help plan their stay.
These will include suggestions for places to see, hotels to stay in and advice about the city, while information about accessibility for disabled visitors; wheelchair users and those with pushchairs is set to prove invaluable in helping those unfamiliar with Newcastle to negotiate its streets.
While likely to catch the eye of visitors during the current Heineken Cup celebrations, the new addition should appeal to locals too, with ideas to inspire them on things to do and where to go to enjoy a family day out at locations across the North East.
Kevin Walker, operations director at Stack which has proved a hugely popular addition to the city, said: "We are delighted to be housing the new visitor information point at Stack.
"With the volume of visitors we welcome daily at Stack, the visitor centre will ensure that anyone visiting our beautiful city can have free information in relation to Newcastle and its numerous attractions and events.”
The new addition expands the range of offerings at the hub of industrial-style containers which house independent restaurants, bars and shops and is said to be providing a vital boost to the region’s small business economy.
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