BBCA visitor centre on Dartmoor is set to shut for the final time.
Dartmoor National Park said the closure of Princetown Visitor Centre, which is based in the Duchy Hotel, on Friday, was due to “rising costs and reduced government funding”.
It said the centre had served as an information and exhibition space since 1993, and added: “The focus is now on ensuring a smooth transition back to the landlord, the Duchy of Cornwall, before the lease expires in March 2026.”
Chief executive of Dartmoor National Park Authority, Kevin Bishop, said: “This is a sad day. Despite our best efforts, the scale of the funding challenges we face left us with no alternative.”
Committed to nature
The authority said it would continue to operate visitor centres at Haytor and Postbridge.
“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,” Mr Bishop said.
“As an authority, we remain committed to protecting nature, increasing access to the outdoors and helping people enjoy Dartmoor’s unique heritage.
“As part of this, we’re progressing work on Dartmoor’s Dynamic Landscape, a National Lottery Heritage Fund programme that aims to make Princetown one of three ‘hubs’ where people can connect with the qualities that make our national park such a special place.”
It said national park authorities received a grant for their core funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs each year, and added “over the last 15 years, these grants have declined sharply”.
“On average across England’s 10 national parks, the value of these grants has fallen by 15% between 2010 and 2025,” it said.
“Factoring in inflation, it equates to a 40% reduction in real terms across England’s national parks. Changes to employer national insurance contributions have also had an impact.”
In January, a DEFRA spokesperson said national parks and green spaces were a source of great national pride.
“That’s why this government is investing £400m to protect and restore nature, including in our national parks,” they said.
“However, we will go further and give people better access to nature by creating new national river walks and three new national forests for families to enjoy.”
