Shropshire Star

New shops 'to keep customers in Bridgnorth'

Developers have said plans for a new parade of shops are a key part of trying to keep customers in a town.

Published

The shops proposed for a car park in the old Smithfield area of Bridgnorth would bring new jobs to the town, according to officials at Ziran Land Ltd.

John Liggins, the company's managing director, said it was important for Bridgnorth to make progress and convince shoppers to stay in the town rather than go to places like Telford.

He made the comments at a public exhibition of the plans held at Castle Hall yesterday.

The exhibition at Castle Hall

Scores of people turned out to look at drawings of the proposals and made the most of the opportunity to quiz those behind the scheme.

The proposal would create five new retail outlets on the land between Sainsbury's and a medical practice. It is hoped the development would bring hundreds of new jobs, although fears have been raised over the loss of parking spaces so close to the town centre.

Mr Liggins said the purpose of the public exhibition was to cover key consultation subjects with the people of Bridgnorth.

He said: "We are keen to meet the people of the town, talk to them and find out what they want. The more people that come the better, because that is what public consultations are all about.

"No town stands still these days, they either move forward or go backwards. We would like to help keep people shopping in Bridgnorth, rather than see them going to places like Telford."

The public exhibition ran between 2pm and 7pm and drew a lot of interest from residents of the town.

Marguerite Elcock, who lives in St Mary's Street, said that her thoughts were mainly about what sort of shops the new development would offer.

She said: "We have a lot of independent retailers on the High Street and they help to give the town a unique flavour. I am concerned how this development could impact local business."

Laurence Banbury from Paul's Pool, who has lived in the town for 25 years, said that he wasn't in favour of the development even before he came to see the exhibition.

He said: "I like the town as it is, we don't need national retailers as we are too small a town for that – which I think is actually a good thing. If people want shops like B&Q they should go to Telford or Kidderminster.

"Another problem is the parking. I walked across the proposed site of the development this morning and the car park was 80 per cent full. Can the town really afford to lose the parking spaces these shops will take."

From today the public can go to www.oldsmithfieldshopping.co.uk to view the plans and provide comments as part of public consultation.

Anybody wishing to discuss the plans can telephone Richard Harris on 08000 356480, who will be available throughout the public consultation.

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