Plans for 24-hour CCTV in Ludlow have received a mixed reaction from residents and traders.

Shropshire Council is running a pilot project in Ludlow to send CCTV footage from cameras to a central base of operations in Shrewsbury where it will be analysed on a 24-hour basis. The scheme will involve the use of hundreds of cameras and thousands of man hours.

Officials hope it will lead to a huge cut in crime.

Today Ludlow town clerk Veronica Calderbank said: “We currently have a tripartite system where the police house the cameras and operate them, and we and Shropshire Council each pay half the costs.”

The cameras in Ludlow are not currently watched at all times.

Dave Roberts, environmental enforcement officer for Shropshire Council, said they were trialling the project with cameras owned by the authority in car parks in Ludlow town centre.

Worrying

Mr Roberts said consultants were investigating the best methods for transmitting the images and they would be looking at the costs involved.

Ms Calderbank said cameras operated by the police would also be included and the scheme would cover the town’s car parks and centrally located areas including King Street, the Bull Ring and the market square.

She said: “It should be happening in the next few weeks, as far as I’m aware.”

Ian Ray, proprietor of Wall’s Butchers in King Street, said: “On a personal note, it’s a bit worrying, but at the end of the day, petty crime does cost a lot of money. At night time, perhaps it is necessary.”

David Leeson, chairman of Ludlow Town Centre Residents Association, said: “There is some rowdiness, but personally, I don’t think we need huge amounts of additional surveillance.”

Simon King, owner of the French Pantry in Tower Street, welcomed the move. He said: “We had our window kicked in and the CCTV was pointing the wrong way so they missed it. It’s good to have it monitored 24-7, but we need a camera just for Tower Street that is not shared with Corve Street.”

Ian Wells, who runs Emporos in Corve Street, said: “I’ve had the shop seven years and it does seem there’s been an increase in petty crime and disturbance so I think any deterrent has got to be worthwhile.

“Short of having policemen on the beat, it’s the next best thing because at least they can have a look at what’s going on.”

Gill Palmer-Gamble, a former shopkeeper who has been in the town 15 years, said: “I would be in favour of anything like that.”

By Hannah Costigan