Comedian Adam Hills played Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn on Sunday. Afterwards he told his followers on Twitter: “I’ve sparked a debate in Shropshire. Is Shrewsbury pronounced ‘Shrewsbury’ or ‘Shrowsbury’?

You think you started that debate do you, Adam? Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…

Before I begin, can I just state that Mr Hills is a genuinely funny man, as anyone who has seen him on TV or heard him on radio comedy shows will surely agree. He is exactly the type of comedian the county should be attracting and he is always welcome here.

• Read Adam Hills’ website blog on Shrewsbury
• Read our show review here
  

Well, he’s always welcome here provided he doesn’t do the Shrewsbury/Shrowsbury chestnut again. Everybody does that one. Every single comedian who appears in the town will, at some point, say to the audience, “Hey, by the way. How do you pronounce the name of your town? Is it…” etc etc etc. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

They all do it. All of them. Everyone who comes to Shrewsbury always starts a pronunciation debate — and they seem to think they’re the first person to do so.

Even Bananarama did it at last year’s 80s concert in the Quarry (although thanks to the council’s draconian sound restrictions I don’t suppose many people heard them).

The result? Weeks and weeks of fruitless debate on radio and shropshirestar.com, because the  arguments for “Shrows” appear to be just as valid as the arguments for “Shrews”.

If you want proof, look here:

• Last word on name debate?
• No end to the name game
• You say Shrewsbury, I say Shrowsbury
• Trying to tame the Shrew/Shrow
• Shroosbury v Shrowsbury
  

So, please, please, any comedians coming to Shrewsbury, please don’t ask how you pronounce it. Don’t. Please. I’m begging you.

Besides, one day we’ll get a definitive answer and then what are we going to talk about?

By Andrew Owen