A RIGHT royal bloomer has been dropped by Worcestershire County Council's Tourism Unit.

A new Attractions Map featuring a variety of things to see and do has ignored Tenbury's unique Pump Rooms, the Round Market, Teme Bridge and the Regal, an impressive art-deco picture palace.

Assistant tourism officer Simon Tipple said: "The places weren't on our data base and the Data Protection Act prevents us from including attractions without the permission of the owners."

Unhappy with the end product, county councillor Reg Farmer said: "I often wonder if Worcester knows where Tenbury Wells is? This is a ridiculous situation and begs the question, why can't local people have an input and not just leave it up to one person at Worcester?

"It would save costs, bear more fruit and put us well and truly on the map.

"Tourism is the life-blood of small market towns and an injection of vital publicity is important to trade and commerce as well as tourism, and Tenbury needs it just as much as the others," he added.

As previously reported in the Advertiser, the 2003 Visitor Guide for Malvern Hills and District, launched by MHDC tourism officers, contains a two page colour spread of attractions in Tenbury, four 'missing wonders' and a number of splendid gardens.

Designed to appeal to visitors and residents alike, the brochure, distributed to national and overseas sources, is supposed to encourage more tourists into the area.

Malvern Hills and town councillor George Price added: "I am extremely disappointed with the brochure produced by the county tourism team. It is uninspiring and by far inferior to the similar guide produced by the district council.

"It has got nothing to do with data bases. Why don't they simply ask local people for detailed information and then they can do a better job all round."