'Shrewsbury is open' says campaign to keep town buzzing after lockdown

The ‘Shrewsbury’s Open’ campaign has been created by Shrewsbury Recovery Taskforce, which includes Shrewsbury BID, Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council, as the town continues to open up following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

With pubs, restaurants and cafes now trading again, a range of outdoor areas are being created within the town centre where customers can enjoy their food and drink in a safe environment.

Areas such as Milk Street and Victoria Quay are being transformed into alfresco dining areas – managed and coordinated by town centre businesses themselves.

Additional funding from The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Shropshire Council is also being used to install colourful branding in the form of banners and flags, alongside a major social media campaign.

Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said the campaign would bring the various initiatives together with a summer festival feel throughout the town.

He said: “We really want to celebrate the amazing shops, hotels, pubs, restaurants and cafes we have here in Shrewsbury, and help people enjoy them in a safe and responsible way.

“A lot of work has been taking place with businesses, the councils and ourselves working together to make this happen.

“The Shrewsbury’s Open campaign will run all summer, with its own website and imagery popping up around town in the form of festival flags, posters and banners.

“It’s about welcoming people back into the town centre, with the necessary social distancing precautions in place, so we can all enjoy the summer.”

Emily Waring, manager of The Armoury in Victoria Quay, said it had been busy since reopening on July 12 and she was looking forward to the rest of the summer months.

She said: “We have worked hard with other businesses in Victoria Quay to create a really welcoming atmosphere outside, with tress and floral planters provided by Shrewsbury Town Council acting as traffic calming measures as well as being lovely to look at.

“There is plenty of seating so people can enjoy a drink or meal alongside the river, and we are hoping to continue providing more outdoor dining into the future – it's really given Victoria Quay a lift.

“We just want to say thank you to everyone who has come into town and supported businesses, it was buzzing last week.

“The feedback we are getting from customers is that they feel comfortable with the safety measures which are in place, so we want to reassure people that Shrewsbury is safe and very much open for business – we look forward to seeing you soon!”

For more information people can visit www.shrewsburysopen.com