Princetown Visitor Centre to stay open until 2025

The Dartmoor National Park Authority has decided to keep the Princetown Visitor Centre open until October 2025, following a critical meeting held on Friday, 10 January.

The decision comes as the Authority faces ongoing financial challenges due to significant reductions in government funding.

The centre, situated within the historic Duchy Hotel and leased from the Duchy of Cornwall, will continue operating during its usual hours. 

The lease is set to expire in March 2026, and the Authority plans to ensure a smooth transition back to the landlord after the centre formally closes.

During the meeting, Authority Members considered three options before agreeing to allocate £50,000 from reserves to cover staffing costs, although this does not include expenses associated with the wider building.

Speaking after the meeting, Authority Chair Pamela Woods said: "Authority Members agreed to keep the centre open and to draw £50,000 from reserves to cover staffing costs, though this doesn’t include costs linked to the wider building. When the centre formally closes, we will ensure a smooth transition back to the landlord ahead of the lease expiry date in March 2026. Meanwhile, we will continue to engage with partners and the wider community to explore other longer-term visitor offers.

“At the same time, we’re progressing our exciting work on a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid to make Princetown one of three ‘hubs’ where people can connect with, and enjoy, the qualities that make this National Park such a special place.

“I would like to thank the many people and organisations who took the time to attend the meeting and express their views, and to the staff who have remained professional and positive through what has been a very difficult period for many.”

The Authority has been under increasing financial strain as funding through the National Park Grant (NPG) from Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has failed to keep pace with inflation. 

Although the Authority received a core grant of £3.8 million for 2024/25, supplemented by a £500,000 uplift, this represents a real-terms cut of over 55 per cent since 2010.

The decision followed consultations with staff and trade unions, as well as input from local organisations and businesses who attended the meeting to share their views. 

Proposals to close the Princetown centre were first discussed in 2022, but a £440,000 one-off grant from Defra in 2023 allowed the centre to remain open until March 2025.

The Authority confirmed in November that it would not renew or extend the lease beyond March 2026.

This has prompted efforts to explore alternative visitor offers, as part of a broader strategy to adapt to the financial challenges facing English National Parks.

In addition to Princetown, the Authority operates visitor centres at Haytor and Postbridge, which will continue to serve as key hubs for engaging visitors with the unique qualities of Dartmoor.