TOURIST information centres could be reopened, despite only having been closed three months ago.

The Caernarfon and Porthmadog-based centres were shut in November as part of a raft of measures by Gwynedd Council to cope with funding cuts.

Now North Wales Tourism (NWT) is in talks with the authority about the possibility of reopening the centres as soon as possible.

Jim Jones, managing director of NWT, said: “We’re currently in talks with Gwynedd Council to look at what we can do with the tourism information centres.

“We’re keen to have an information service of some form in Caernarfon and Porthmadog for visitors.

“The centre would be managed by North Wales Tourism in some form of partnership with Gwynedd Council.

”It’s a foundation of any tourism town to have an information service for visitors, especially one with so much to offer for tourists such as Caernarfon.

“I’d like to stress that negotiations are still ongoing with the council and nothing has been secured yet.”

Cllr Endaf Cooke of the Seiont Ward, Caernarfon, said: “It’s great news that there are talks ongoing about re-opening the tourism centres, as shutting them down in the first place was a mistake.

“I think that any scheme put in place to boost tourism of Caernarfon and Gwynedd as a whole, will prove to be beneficial in the long run and that’s why I welcome it.”

A spokesman for the Gwynedd Council said: “The council can confirm that it is currently in discussions with North Wales Tourism regarding the possible future use of the former TIC’s in Porthmadog and Caernarfon as visitor expereience hubs.”