SHOWCASING WHAT'S NOW ON OFFER AT BRIGG BUTTERCR

The newly-launched Brigg Business Support and Tourism Centre on the ground floor of the Buttercross in the Market Place is creating plenty of interest.
North Lincolnshire Council says it's there to "showcase a huge variety of experiences and tourist attractions across the area" as well as offering "a dedicated space to support businesses, including selling and showcasing local products, as the region bounces back from the pandemic."
Brigg Blog paid a visit to see what's now on display and was pleased to find a range of promotional leaflets in support of local visitor attractions, including the Appleby-Frodingham Railway Preservation Society which introduced steam-hauled train tours of Scunthorpe steelworks some years ago.
A touchscreen - wiped down regularly - gives people an opportunity to search online for a wide range of information. Its home screen showed North Lincolnshire Council's website when we called in.
A helpful member of the tourism staff was duty, although our visit did not coincide with the advice-giving small business adviser being on duty at the Buttercross.
People wanting to access public transport timetable and other information can call at the nearby Angel community hub  near the entrance from the Market Place.
The ground floor of the Buttercross has been refurbished and given glass cases to display a range of items.
With the launch of the Brigg Business Support and Tourism Centre, Coun Rob Waltham, the Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, stressed: "I do want to make sure that we keep face to face contact though using council resources."
There had been a slight change of focus, he added, to promote Greater Lincolnshire rather than other areas as far away as the south-west.
"We have plenty of independent businesses in the town who can help with that," he told Brigg Blog.
These are changing times, of course. When the Brigg Tourist Information Centre was established four decades ago, few people had internet access and very costly 'mobile' phones were the size of a brick and could only be used for calls.
Since using the web and smartphones became commonplace, the number of people relying on printed leaflets and timetables has reduced considerably.
During lockdown we've got used to looking up public transport information on a smartphone and will no longer be seeking out printed timetables - something we did for years.
Opening hours for the ground floor facility at the Buttercross are 9am to 2pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
At other times, inquire at the nearby Angel where there is touchscreen access to information available.