Pledges over Roman wall's future

The running of Hadrian's Wall will be handed to a private firm

The future prosperity of Hadrian's Wall should be assured when its running is handed over to a private firm, a tourist boss has promised.

Eric Robson, chairman of the Cumbria Tourist Board, believes handing control to the Hadrian's Wall Company will attract more visitors to the site.

But critics of the move believe English Heritage should stay at the helm.

Mr Robson said the trail, which runs from Tyneside to Cumbria, would benefit from closer management.

He said the Roman site desperately needed commercial management to attract investment. He said: "Large areas of Hadrian's Wall, especially in West Cumbria are very badly served in tourism terms, there are no great hotels and in certain parts it is difficult to even get a cup of tea.

"Entrepreneurs have just not been encouraged to invest in the area despite the fact that the opportunities are colossal."

Lack of management

The newly-formed, non-profit-making, Hadrian's Wall Company will be a made up of elements from more than one organisation including the North West Development Agency and One NorthEast.

Recently, former Newcastle University head of archaeology Prof Peter Fowler said he was "alarmed" at the trail's state.

Prof Fowler said: "I was really quite alarmed. The problem is that the trail is very close to the wall and it doesn't seem in any significant way to be being managed.

"It's not the walkers, it's the lack of management of the walkers and the lack of management of the trail which is causing the erosion and the wearing of the path which in places is 10 to 15cm deep."