Dartmoor’s Princetown Visitor Centre closes its doors for the final time

The National Park Visitor Centre in Princetown will close its doors for the final time today, (31 October).

Dartmoor National Park Authority confirmed earlier this year that it would not renew the lease on the building, which is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.

The centre, based in the former Duchy Hotel, first opened in 1993 and has welcomed visitors for more than three decades.

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The decision to close comes after rising costs and a long-term fall in government funding.

Over the last 15 years, grants from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to England’s National Parks have dropped sharply.

Between 2010 and 2025, funding has fallen by around 15% in cash terms, which is equal to about a 40% cut when inflation is taken into account.

In 2024/25, Dartmoor National Park Authority received a National Park Grant (NPG) of £3.8 million, along with a one-off £500,000 uplift.

However, if the grant had kept pace with inflation, it would now stand at about £7.3 million based on the Consumer Price Index or around £8.5 million using the Retail Price Index.

This represents a real-terms reduction of more than 55% since 2010/11.

The Authority also faces additional costs due to changes in employer National Insurance contributions announced in the October 2024 Budget, estimated to cost around £90,000.

Chief Executive of Dartmoor National Park Authority, Kevin Bishop, said:
“This is a sad day. Over the years, we’ve worked hard to explore a wide range of options aimed at securing the future of the visitor centre or providing a new use of the building that would support the local economy. Despite our best efforts, the scale of the funding challenges we face left us with no alternative.”

He added: “We’d like to thank our hard-working centre staff over the years for the warm welcome they’ve given to people who visit Princetown as part of their Dartmoor experience.”

Although the Princetown centre has closed, Dartmoor National Park Authority will continue to run its other visitor centres at Haytor and Postbridge.

Mr Bishop said the Authority remains focused on its main goals: protecting nature, improving access to the outdoors, and helping people enjoy Dartmoor’s special landscape.

ABOVE: Other visitor centres in Postbridge and Haytor (pictured) remain open (Credit: Dartmoor National Park)

As part of this work, the Authority is developing Dartmoor’s Dynamic Landscape, a National Lottery Heritage Fund programme that will make Princetown one of three hubs where visitors can explore Dartmoor’s history and wildlife.

The Authority has also committed to a “smooth transition” for the building, which will be returned to its landlord, the Duchy of Cornwall, before the lease ends in March 2026.

Discussions will continue with local partners and community groups to explore possible future uses of the building that could support the local economy.

Pamela Woods, Chair of the Authority, thanked staff, trade unions, local organisations and businesses for their support and engagement during the consultation process.

She praised the professionalism and dedication of centre staff throughout a very difficult period.

People can continue to support Dartmoor through the Donate for Dartmoor fund, which helps pay for conservation and access projects across the National Park.