Oswestry hailed as a 'welcome break' for visitors

A new push to get more visitors to the town and the surrounding area is being made by a collaboration of organisations, with bill board adverts urging motorists to explore Oswestry.

The first one has gone up at the M54 Welcome Break service station, with other locations including those on the M6 and the M56 being researched.

It is part of new push to prioritise Oswestry as Shropshire’s best choice to visit this Easter.

Joining forces to launch the initiative are Oswestry and Borderlands Tourism, Oswestry Chamber of Commerce, Oswestry BID and the British Ironwork Centre.

Pictures of the Hillfort, Whittington Castle, Wilfred Owen, the Spoon Gorilla, the Cambrian Railway and the town centre are all used to woo in day trippers and holidaymakers."

Centre chairman Clive Knowles said: "This is the start of a dramatic effort in increasing Oswestry awareness amongst holiday and day trip travellers passing through very high footfall areas.

"Oswestry after all is the true gateway into Wales and ensuring visitors coming to the area or passing through stop and explore, is the fundamental aim."

Success

"We are blessed here in Oswestry, we’ve so much to be proud off, yet we can achieve far greater success, this is only one method among many of increasing footfall to the area. We are strategically placing temptation posters, in the best, most productive locations.

"Motorway services are well used by journeying families, these positions are so prominent and can have enormous influence peoples' decisions."

"Easter is a particular time of the year when people go and explore. We have to do much more, we have to encourage more people to come and explore the town.

"We're in an excellent position for for people from the Midlands to Mid Wales to Chester, we couldn't be a better place to stop.

"You've got to push yourself forward and it's great to see all these people come together to promote the town together."