THE woman fighting to get Weymouth’s Tourist Information Centre moved back to the Esplanade has presented her petition to borough councillors.

Barbara Howe, who started the petition, has been campaigning to reverse the decision to move Weymouth’s TIC to the Pavilion since the move was announced.

Bourne Leisure Group Ltd, the parent company of Haven Holidays, is due to move in to the former TIC kiosk to promote holiday homes at Littlesea and Weymouth Bay and Seaview at Preston with a lease ending in October 2011.

The petition, which has gained more than 5,500 signatures, was introduced by Coun Kevin Hodder at a meeting of the full council.

Coun Hodder said: “This petition has been signed by 5,500 people – that is eight per cent of our population.

“The move was looked at as part of the Pavilion recovery plan and it is quite logical to merge the two.

“However, the TIC move from the centre to the end may be for the right reasons to support the Pavilion but it isn’t for the right reasons in the long term for the TIC.”

He added that the former TIC kiosk would be available again from October 2011 and this would give councillors time to access the success of the move.

Miss Howe told the meeting: “I am speaking for more than 5,500 people, a coalition of Weymouth and Portland residents, business leaders, shops, offices, churches, pub, and of course visitors.

“Please move the TIC back to the Esplanade site where it belongs.

“I have been completely overwhelmed by the support I have received. I have visited 60 to 65 per cent of businesses in our main streets and without exception they have backed the petition.”

She added that the main criticisms of the move were that the ‘decision was rushed through without proper consultation’, the ‘half mile each way walk is too far for the elderly and the handicapped’ and ‘service in shops is being disrupted by scores of visitors asking for information’.

Miss Howe also criticised the council’s decision to allow a company to use the kiosk that will be promoting holiday homes.

She said: “Siting a holiday camp promotional office in the face of our seafront hotels and guesthouses, many of them struggling in a recession, is to say the least insensitive.

Borough mayor Coun Paul Kimber congratulated Miss Howe for what she had achieved with the petition.

The petition will be debated at the next full council meeting in September.