Visitors' impressions of the Lake District are being tainted by the "tired" appearance of roads and signs, according to a leading tourism boss, writes Tourism Reporter Nadia Jefferson-Brown.

Cumbria Tourist Board chief executive Chris Collier is calling for clarity about the responsibilities of different organisations and agencies to ensure that money coming into the area is spent most effectively.

Speaking at the CTB's commercial members' meeting, she said research had revealed that holidaymakers were reporting "problems" with parking and the infrastructure.

"We are talking about parking provision, street furniture and the quality of our roads and destination signing.

All these activities, led by government organisations and agencies, are absolutely crucial to the success of the area as a tourism industry, yet our visitors are telling us that these things are looking tired."

She advised conference delegates to take up any such concerns they might have with their local councillors and MPs.

A Lakeland gift shop owner, Carole Scott, told the conference: "Our local authorities are in the process of closing the most basic facility on offer to tourists and that is loos."

CBI director general Digby Jones, who was the main conference speaker, said the move showed "a lack of understanding about tourism", and advised members to write to their councils.

"A public loo is as much of a help to tourism as a road leading to a factory is to business," he said.

In her report to members, Ms Collier went on to describe business within the industry as "patchy", but said it could have been "much worse" without the additional funds secured for ventures such as marketing and research, which she said were crucial for effectively targeting funds.

Another of the CTB's research findings revealed that Cumbria was not considered a "cool" destination for young families and young people.

Ms Collier said this impression needed to be tackled, even though there was "a wealth of opportunities for young people", as did the public perception of congestion problems in the Lakes.

She said visitors were also asked, if the Lake District were a car, what would it be? The favoured answer was a 1960s classic.

"There's nothing particularly bad about that - it looks good and stylish and there's a lot of nostalgia around it," said Ms Collier.

"But is that going to attract visitors into the future and if it isn't, what are we going to do about it?"

Ms Collier also warned members of a possible shift away from B&B-type accommodation unless it was "very good", and she advised operators detecting a downturn in business to discuss it with the CTB.

"People are much more private than 10 or 20 years ago.

They don't have such extended families and are looking for privacy and en-suite facilities," she said.

The number of self-catering establish-ments, however, has risen, and Ms Collier questioned whether the market had reached saturation point.