THE Chief Executive of Visit England will officially re-open the tourist information centre in Windermere next week.

The Mountain Goat, which provides guided tours around the Lake District, has spent £150,000 redeveloping the centre since it successfully won the tender from South Lakeland District Council in October.

The Victoria Street centre has also been renamed Windermere & Lake District Information.

Peter Brendling, Mountain Goat’s commercial director said: "The centre is here for the tourist but also for the benefit of the local businesses and community. We would like everyone to make use of all the services we have to offer."

The aim of the development is to make the centre a hub with visitor services including Wi-Fi, luggage storage, car hire, accommodation and attraction tickets available.

Mountain Goat will be operating tours from the site and have opened a café with indoor and outdoor seating.

The upper floor has been redesigned to incorporate the Mountain Goat staff team, but also retain the information desk, retail area, and information displays which will be available for use by local businesses.

In addition to leaflet racking, and small posters, there will be opportunities for TV screen displays, and advertorial information panels.

Those in the window area will be visible up to 16 hours per day.

Downstairs is being re-opened after last being used in 1990’s and it will a café serving teas/coffees, chocolate, and soft drinks with sandwiches, paninis, cake and biscuits either to eat in or takeaway for people on the move.

The operation will have toilets including a disabled facility and will be fully accessible.

Tom Kenney, the centre's manager said: "There has been great feedback from the local community of the new layout being more welcoming to visitors."

James Berresford, Chief Executive of Visit England and Norman Stoller CBE DL, chairman of Mountain Goat, will cut the ribbon of the refurbished information centre at 2.45pm on Wednesday (March 25).

Visit www.windermereinfo.co.uk for more.