Plans to begin repairs on 'eyesore' former Costa Coffee shop in Ludlow welcomed

Plans to begin fixing up a decaying Ludlow town centre coffee shop have been welcomed by the local authority.

The Grade II-listed building on King Street in Ludlow was home to Costa Coffee until the chain vacated the site in May 2023.

Over the last 18 months, frustrated residents, traders and councillors have been calling for improvements to the “eyesore” property that is quickly falling into a state of disrepair.

Last year, amid calls for the council to intervene, the building's owner reportedly assured the local authority that repairs would soon take place. Within weeks, scaffolding had been erected.

But there was little sign of progress, with Ludlow councillor Andy Boddington stating the building was “falling apart”.

Now, an application has been made to Shropshire Council for listed building consent to replace 11 of the windows facing Kings Street.

Documents submitted with the application stated many of the windows exhibit “advanced weathering” and “significant decay” caused by a “lack of maintenance and neglect”.

A spokesperson for Shropshire Council said it was “encouraging to see” steps being taken to address the condition of the building.

They added: “We understand that further proposals for the comprehensive conversion and renovation of the building are in preparation, and we look forward to reviewing these in due course.

“We welcome the opportunity to continue constructive engagement with the applicants to ensure that both the current proposals and forthcoming schemes are carefully considered in the context of the building’s significance and its contribution to the wider conservation area, as part of a co-ordinated approach to securing its viable and sustainable future use.”