Tourism is so important to the town
A familiar smile is missing from the face of Diss. Twenty years after being part of the team which opened the first Tourist Information Centre in the town, Doreen Collins has retired.
But the Winfarthing resident has no plans to wind down and will still be at the heart of the town as part of the 2009 Carnival committee.
Mrs Collins, who was 63 this week, admitted leaving the Mere’s Mouth establishment was a wrench and said whoever filled her place in the three-strong team would have a dream job.
“It’s a privilege to have worked here,” she said. “If the next person gets as much out of it as I have they will be very lucky.”
Mrs Collins admitted it had been a real surprise when she was first offered the job.
“I used to work for the Inland Revenue as a tax officer but had not had a full-time job for about 16 years when I saw the post advertised,” she said. “They were asking for someone with experience of the general public and I’d done some work with play groups. At the interview I was asked the way to various places and told them why I wanted the job.
“I was surprised when I was offered it.”
The office opened in October 1989 and since then has won a string of awards.
“I’m very proud of the consistency the centre has shown over the years,” she said.
“Whenever we’ve been visited by a mystery shopper we have regularly got top marks.”
But it is not only visitors who have been treated to the first class service offered by the TIC team. Town residents are regulars in the small office next to the Mere.
“I’ve met so many lovely, pleasant, chatty people over the years and will miss that contact with the regulars,” she said. “I’ve got to know so many people well over the years. But I’m not emigrating so I hope I will see many of them in and around town.
“I am so grateful to my colleagues, the residents of Diss and our annual 50,000-plus visitors for making my 20 years in the TIC a very happy experience. It’s been a real privilege to have met them all.”
And being in pole position to hear what visitors to the town have to say has given Mrs Collins plenty of ideas of her own to improve the town’s face.
“Diss has got a really strong feature,” she said. “More should be made of the Mere; it is unique.
“Local people often don’t realise the value of tourism to the area and how visitors can help local shops and trades.
“I think we should have more pedestrianisation and have it better patrolled to keep vehicles out.
“It would be wonderful if we could make Diss more of a floral town with lots of baskets around the Market Place. It could really make a feature of the town.
“It was suggested before but appeared not to go ahead because of fears of vandalism but that is ridiculous.
"I got the idea on holiday in Usk, on the Welsh border, and they manage it without problems."
And it is not only visitors to the town who should be given more to view, Mrs Collins is also keen to see town traders given some help.
"Reducing rental and business rates to create more interest in empty business properties would really give the town a boost; making it more appealing to residents and visitors alike."
As for her retirement, Mrs Collins is determined to enjoy herself. After a few dys in Arundel this week with her husband Jim, she is looking forward to rekindling old interests and hobbies and spending more time with her daughters Emma and Charlotte and four-year-old grandson Alex.
"My youngest daughter Charlotte said she hoped I would learn to be able to sit down and do nothing but there's no chance of that," she joked.
"I'm looking forward to my continued involvement in organising the Carnival, watching Norwich City more and perhaps taking up badminton again, which I used to love playing."
What do you think about Diss and its tourism potential? Write to Come to Diss, Diss Express, Mere Street, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 4AE, email editorial@dissexpress.co.uk or add your comments below.
Email to a friend
Print this page Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Local pages
Looking for a...
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Diss
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
