QUESTIONS have been asked as to why one of Fishguard’s biggest tourist attractions was closed over the Easter weekend.

The clerk of Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council, Sarah McColl-Dorion has written to Pembrokeshire County Council after several members of the public brought to her attention that the Town Hall was closed over the bank holiday.

The Town Hall is home to the Tourist Information Centre, the library and The Last Invasion Tapestry.

The tapestry has been viewed by visitors from all over the world. It was commissioned by the Fishguard Arts Society to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Last Invasion of Britain in 1997. It took four years to complete, and its design is similar to the Bayeux Tapestry which tells the story of the Norman Invasion of Britain in 1066.

In her letter to the council, the clerk said: “We have had reports of tourists arriving on Fishguard Square this past weekend looking to view the tapestry only to find the building locked.

“At a time when Pembrokeshire County Council is strongly encouraging economic regeneration in this area, would it not be sensible to review the opening times for the TIC and tapestry gallery and consider having the building open to the public over holiday and peak tourist times.”

Pembrokeshire County Council said the decision to change the opening house was made following a consultation with Fishguard and Goodwick Town Team, the Fishguard Tapestry Trust and County Council members in the last financial years.

A council spokesman said: “The number of visitors to the Fishguard Tapestry over the Easter weekend last year was very low (106 people visited the gallery over the four days of Easter). By opening for specific events to coincide with wider event activity in the town, which is the collective plan of the Tapestry Trust and the County Council, in consultation with the Town Team, it is anticipated there will be a boost in visitor numbers. Visitor figures at the end of this season will be analysed compared with previous data, to see if the new approach is successful.

“As part of the County Council’s efficiency savings – the County Council must make savings of £20 million over the next two financial years as a direct consequence of the loss of grant from the Welsh Government - most tourist information centres in Pembrokeshire have joined with local customer service centres and/or libraries.

"As a result, in Fishguard, the tourist information centre has joined with the customer service centre to create a new Fishguard Information Centre, whose members of staff have a wealth of information and detailed local knowledge."

The centre will open on Saturdays as well as its normal weekday hours in June, July and August, plus the same Bank Holiday Mondays as the Tapestry (Monday, May 26 and Monday, August 25).