Shrewsbury's Flax Mill open days to draw in the crowds

Thousands of people are expected to attend an open weekend at Shrewsbury's historic Flax Mill put on by a group campaigning for a multi-million regeneration of the site.

The Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings are holding open days on May 19 and 20, from 10am to 4pm. As well as giving people the chance to look around the site, an arts and crafts fair will also be held.

A spokesman for the group said: "We are inviting artists and craftspeople to set up a stall or work space, exhibit their work and sell their wares in one of the heritage buildings.

"We think this is an ideal venue and as more than 3,000 people have attended our last two weekends we hope more will be attracted and the vendors will enjoy a tremendous market place."

The group is also looking for people to help steward the open days, act as guides for tours of the site and help with research into the uses of the buildings, the technology and the social history.

A bid has been made for £11.7 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to pay for an overhaul of the grade I listed site in Ditherington.

Bid partners Shropshire Council, English Heritage and the Friends are hoping to transform the historic site into homes, offices and shops, as well as turning it into a tourist attraction.

Plans for the redevelopment have been in the pipeline for years. In May last year, those behind the scheme were dealt a blow after an initial bid for funding from the HLF was rejected.

But the bid partners have now drawn up a revised proposal for funding, and have launched a website and a Twitter account to support their efforts.

For more information on the open days, contact Maralyn Hepworth via maralyn4@googlemail.com To volunteer to assist the Friends, contact Councillor Alan Mosley on alan.mosley@shropshire.gov.uk

See also:

• Shrewsbury’s Flax Mill plea to Prince Charles

• First look at £12m plans for Shrewsbury’s Flax Mill