Former Market Drayton court building gets new lease of life
Plans to bring Market Drayton former magistrates court building back into use have been hailed as "great news" for the area.
Paul Evans, call centre manager for The Will Associates which plans to move into the town's old court house, said it was good that the building in Cheshire Street would be used again from next spring.
Market Drayton mayor Tim Beckett has also backed the move.
It is hoped up to 40 jobs will be created when The Will Associates moves into the old court in March.
The company has outgrown its current base which is at Poynton House on Shropshire Street and in August announced plans to move into the former Trade Secrets building on Cheshire Street.
But Mr Evans said the call centre had outgrown that building before it moved in.
He said: "It is really good news that we will be taking the magistrate's building as it means we can keep growing and expanding.
"The Trade Secrets building has a capacity of about 70 altogether, but we are already up to that capacity so we wouldn't have room to grow there."
Mr Evans said he hoped they would be getting the lease for the building over the next couple of weeks.
He said: "We hope to be in there by the end of March.
"I think it is such a good story for the town, having a building that has been disused for so long being used.
"Most of our staff are from Market Drayton and we are hoping to get as many as we can from the local area."
Mr Evans said that most of the 40 roles created would be in the call centre, with some in legal departments and some in admin.
He said: "The thing I am most pleased with its that it provides an alternative for the people in the town.
"Up until now the main employers have been Muller or Palethorpes Pie Factory, which both really offer factory work.
"This is another option for people and provides an alternative."
Councillor Beckett said: "This is great news if it all goes to plan, a building that has been derelict for so many years being used is good, and also new jobs being created locally is a positive of course."
The court building closed in April 2011 after it was last used and was put on the market later that year.
The court used to sit twice a week and was one of the main magistrate's serving north Shropshire but was shut because of Government cutbacks.
