The owner of the Martha Washington Inn & Spa said the possible expansion of the Barter Theatre to Mount Airy, North Carolina, would be a “huge mistake” — and he’s not alone.
“It will have a profound negative effect on the town,” Ian Lloyd-Jones told the Bristol Herald Courier. “Barter is the engine that drives the train [for Abingdon]. … It’s essential for the community.”
Several business owners and tourism officials will meet with Barter officials to discuss the potential expansion Monday afternoon. A general meeting for the public has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. March 26.
Chris Lowe, general manager of the Martha Washington, said that tourism “is the bread and butter of town, always has and probably always will be. That’s why we take it [tourism] so seriously, it’s the major feeder of the town.”
