An extra information point has opened in a West Suffolk museum, to allow more visitors to find out about what’s going on in the surrounding area.

The National Horseracing Museum in the High Street is teaming up with Forest Heath District Council to provide another tourist information point in the town.

The new information point adds to the existing tourist information service at the Guineas shopping centre.

Chris Garibaldi, museum director, said: “I am delighted that the National Horseracing Museum is in a position to provide this service to the local community.

“We already deal with a large number of enquiries from visitors from all over the world and this development will spread the opportunities to promote the town’s tourist offer in an easily located central venue. With developments in mobile technology and smart phone apps, so many more people are choosing to get their tourist information online but for many visitors it is still a friendly face of welcome that makes all the difference and the museum’s staff are excited about being able to provide just that.

“All members of the museum’s front-of-house staff have recently taken part in the World Host training programme and so are ideally placed to welcome visitors to the town.”

David Bowman, Forest Heath Cabinet member with responsibility for tourism, said: “Newmarket welcomes thousands of visitors every year, either drawn by horseracing or others who want to use the town as a base to explore the wider area.

“Tourism creates wealth and jobs for the local community and we are very pleased to be helping the museum to set up its own information service for the benefit of the whole town.”

Staff from the tourist service at the council’s Guineas office will be providing support and advice to the museum team to help them deal with enquiries. Noel Byrne, chairman of the Newmarket Experience, said: “This is a very positive move for tourist information in Newmarket.

“Visitors will now be able to pick up relevant information from a very high profile location.

“I firmly believe this will form a major part of the significant developments taking place at Palace House.”