BUSINESSES in Kirkby Lonsdale want to know if it is economically advantageous to be part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Since last August, the newly-extended park included parts of the town, including its riverside path, Devil’s Bridge and Jubilee Park, making the town the park’s new western gateway.

Kirkby Lonsdale's Chamber of Trade has invited the park authority’s head of visitor services, Julie Barker, to address a public meeting, to be held on Tuesday, May 2, at the Lunesdale Hall.

Chamber chairman Robin Sadler said: “We invite all businesses, members or not, along with any interested residents, to come to this meeting to hear what the economic advantages might be. There are many implications and, perhaps, misconceptions about the effects of national parks on communities.

‘We expect more people to visit the town, which may well put pressures on our facilities. It’ll be helpful to learn what's happened elsewhere and to get an idea of what we might expect as we go into our first summer as a national park gateway town.’

The town’s community interest company is co-hosting the meeting, which starts at 7.30pm.