SAFFRON Walden Tourist Information Centre is to launch a new box office service which will include an online booking and ticket printing facility.

The new electronic system is based on the one used at Saffron Screen - which accounts for about 40 per cent of the tickets sold at the cinema.

It has been developed by Saffron Ticket Systems, a new company set up to provide box office and online ticket systems for community cinemas, theatres and amateur groups.

The new system will go live at the TIC and via saffrontickets.com on April 16 with sales for the 2012 Saffron Walden Arts Festival.

The festival will have four evening shows: Hyperfusion Theatre Company performing Fame on June 7, The Pantaloons performing The Importance of being Earnest on June 8, Saffron Walden’s Got Talent on June 9 and a jazz concert by Blue Harlem on June 10.

Mark Starte, duty manager at the TIC, said: “We are very excited to be working with STS and to have this opportunity to improve and enhance the way we run our box office service.”

Paul Willmott of STS said: “We are delighted to launch our new service in partnership with the TIC. Providing local organisations such as the Arts Festival with both an online ticket facility and a box office in the town centre is the best of both worlds.

“We are looking forward to providing ticketing for many other local organisations in the near future”.