Tourist Information shock

Anna · Postby **Anna** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 6:26 pm

I was shocked this morning whilst popping in to tourist and information centre to get tickets for train with my children.

We had to queue for 15mins in what is now the Housing Benefits office. As we stood queueing we could hear all sorts of plights and troubles that were supposed to be private.

Is this how we want tourists to witness when they come to find out the nearest station for example? What on earth made someone choose to put housing office there? Its sooo wrong.

roy · Postby **roy** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 12:46 am

[quoted]
Anna wrote:
I was shocked this morning whilst popping in to tourist and information centre to get tickets for train with my children.

We had to queue for 15mins in what is now the Housing Benefits office. As we stood queueing we could hear all sorts of plights and troubles that were supposed to be private.

Is this how we want tourists to witness when they come to find out the nearest station for example? What on earth made someone choose to put housing office there? Its sooo wrong.
[/quoted]

Why not simply go the the train station to find out timetables?

Enjoy life.you never know when it will end.

Lola · Postby **Lola** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:47 am

[quoted]
roy wrote:
[quoted]
Anna wrote:
I was shocked this morning whilst popping in to tourist and information centre to get tickets for train with my children.

We had to queue for 15mins in what is now the Housing Benefits office. As we stood queueing we could hear all sorts of plights and troubles that were supposed to be private.

Is this how we want tourists to witness when they come to find out the nearest station for example? What on earth made someone choose to put housing office there? Its sooo wrong.
[/quoted]

Why not simply go the the train station to find out timetables?

[/quoted]

I believe you can buy discounted tickets in advance from the TIC, which is useful.

Richard · Postby **Richard** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:45 am

I agree with Anna - what were the Council thinking of?
The previously splendid " tourist and information centre" has been all but displaced by the current grubby kiosks for Council payments etecetra.
This is not the sort of excercise to encourage tourists to an otherwise pleasant holiday experience.
It's not a Tourist Info Center just for train times or tickets.
I don't see this happening in other seaside towns but it's all down to Council revenue and stuff the rest of you in Hastings.

roy · Postby **roy** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 3:49 pm

And of course you can get them on line too.

Enjoy life.you never know when it will end.

Richard · Postby **Richard** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 5:38 pm

1. Online Hastings train station ticket and travel time information is sometimes conflicting and mainly unavailable to visitors on foot.

2. Elderly or disabled may find it difficult to cope with computers and information especially if they have a visual disability.

3. There should be a whole spread of local information at the centre in Priory meadow that goes beyond the reach of Railway Ticket Office.

4. There is a possibility that the ?temporary? first contact for people with Housing Problems at the TIC (prior to them being booked into a meeting at Aquilla House) will be removed_ _ _

peter_simpson · Postby **peter_simpson** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:41 am

I'm definitely with Anna on this one - it seems bone-headed beyond belief and certainly needs changing as a matter of urgency! Yes, of course there are alternative sources of information, but if you are a visitor, where are you likely to head first; somewhere that says 'tourist information' in big bold letters or somewhere that's primary function is something else?

luna_saphire · Postby **luna_saphire** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 1:05 am

I popped into the T.I. centre to pick up a bus timetable recently, and yes, they had the timetable and a couple having a row with the staff about their benefits! Great advert for Hastings!

terry_again · Postby **terry_again** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 4:16 am

It may not be a great advert, but it is one of the grim realities of 21st century Britain. Automation, outsourcing and self service have robbed many people of their jobs and there is much more to come with higher unemployment to follow. Many people have no choice other than to claim benefits and the housing benefit office is notorious for 'having no record of your claim' or to put it another way, it got lost in the system. This can be a very worrying problem for people who stand to lose their home and could easily end up hundreds of pounds in debt, so tensions are frequently high.

The Daily Mail legend that it all works like clockwork and all you have to do is sign on the dotted line to get everything you want is as false as the legend that the jobs are out there.

There is plenty that needs doing, but no one's prepared to pay to have it done. The work may be out there, but the jobs are definitely not.

movingsouth · Postby **movingsouth** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:31 am

Has anyone emailed the council about it? It could be worth emailing visitengland.com too_ _ _ they must have some funds they can use to promote the country? Hastings is an important part of British history, it should not be shown to Tourists this way.. if we all agree to email them they may listen???? If you are up for it I will find out the email addresses to complain.

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