Blog: Poor Charlie Darwin, writes David Burrows.

I have, on previous occasions in these pages, bemoaned how little Shrewsbury seems to care about its most famous son. A statue outside the library, a couple of odd looking sculptures and a shopping centre. That’s it.

Or, at least that WAS it. Now he can’t even get a mall (as those rich beautiful people on those E4 shows call them) named after him.

Nope, it seems that when the town’s three shopping centres are, at long last, merged to create one giant supermall, they will be called the New Riverside.

Which is a shame. Not least of all because it sounds like a football stadium in the North East. It is a shame that Darwin will disappear from the name in a tenuous attempt to make the most of the River Severn.

But, that aside, what wonderful news that the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside are finally to become one. It warms my heart. It’s like the last episode of Friends when Ross and Rachel finally get together. We’ve all been waiting for it. We all knew it would happen eventually. We just couldn’t wait to find out how.

The New Riverside (I’m hoping that, like Shrewsbury Town’s New Meadow before it, this name ends up being dropped. Although not in favour of the Prostar Shopping Centre) will have a new department store and up to 60 more shops and restaurants.

Shopping centre bosses say the move will make Shrewsbury a more attractive place to shop and visit.

But don’t get too excited. The new look centre won’t open until autumn 2015 at the earliest.

But, as has also been pointed out in these pages before now, Shrewsbury needs to do something to fight back against the increasing influence of out-of-town supermarkets. Having a one-stop shopping centre with more choice and more places to eat and drink can only be a step in the right direction.

We now have to hope that, in conjunction with this, our friends and the council ensure there is enough parking (at a price people are prepared to pay). They must also ensure these shops and eateries are allowed to stay open beyond the oh-so-last-century 5.30pm closing that Shrewsbury is obsessed by. Allowing them to open later will allow greater fluidity into the town’s night-time economy.

Of course, there will be certain sections of society who will rail against such a notion, but it would nice to think the powers that be would have the strength of mind to overrule the vocal minority for the good of the town.