Glens of Antrim Historical Society to provide visitor information service for Causeway Coastal Route

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Councillors approved the officers’ proposal at a Leisure and Development Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 20.

The appointment will be for a one-year period from April, with the option to extend for two further years subject to satisfactory performance and council budgets, at a cost of £20,000 per annum.

The Cushendall-based Society is recognised as one of the foremost historical societies in Ireland. Since its formation in 1965, it has hosted several notable lectures, book readings and exhibitions on the History of the North Antrim Coast.

The council’s original application sought proposals from suitably experienced organisations, for the “provision of a visitor information service within ‘The Glens’ of the council area.”

The application stated: “The visitor information provision must be based in suitable office accommodation located within a settlement that is close to the Causeway Coastal Route, excluding Ballycastle."

The society will join year-round operational information points in Limavady Arts Centre and Ballycastle, as well as the seasonal provisions in Bushmills, Portrush and Rathlin Island.

At Tuesday’s committee meeting, Tourism Manager Peter Thompson said that only one submission was received and recommended that councillors approved the appointment of the Historical Society as “the council’s preferred candidate for the provision of visitor information services.”

He added: “Our terms of services detail exactly what we require from [the Society], in regards to opening hours and days of opening, and it’s important that those stipulations are adhered to.