I’ve always had a soft spot for the gently rolling landscape of the Cotswolds, all babbling brooks, leafy glades and honey-coloured cottages, and in particular for the the small market town of Stow-on-the-Wold.

Liberally sprinkled amongst Stow’s trademark antique shops and galleries are butchers, bakers and all manner of local services - a real town for real people. And yet tourists do come to Stow in large numbers. Not just for its quaint houses and picturesque streets, its retail temptations and historic links, but because it’s a great base for exploring the area.

But when I popped into the tourist office on The Square one sunny spring Saturday a few weeks ago, my first impression was that they were restocking, refurbishing or even relocating. One wall was completely bare of leaflets, the opposite shelves only partially stocked.

The friendly lady behind the counter explained apologetically that the Stow Visitor Information Centre – which made bookings for visitors as well as providing information - had officially closed in mid-April. So upset were local businesses, that volunteers were providing a skeleton service.

Cotswold District Council later explained that they have had to make some difficult decisions in order to maintain tourism services in the current economic climate. They are currently working with Stow Town Council and local businesses on a sustainable and long-term plan for Visitor Information in the town. Shortly after my visit, a short-term solution was set up on a part-time basis, providing information, but no sales or booking service.

All of which makes me wonder how it can be right to spend such enormous sums on London 2012 when our local tourist infrastructure is in such dire straits. Hopefully a solution will be found for Stow – and other towns like it - before overseas visitors decide to bolt rural Britain onto their Olympic holiday.

3 June 2009