50 GREAT things about Shrewsbury

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THIS IS SHREWSBURY – a stunning, contemporary book linking world-class photographs, eloquent prose and fascinating facts with a genuine, heartfelt passion for Shrewsbury

ALL THE LITTLE SHOPS in Shrewsbury have the benefit of trading in one of England’s finest towns; there are hundreds of reasons to visit the shops you find on this website. Shrewsbury is already recognised as a national jewel but we asked a few of our local contacts to come up with their own Top 50 and here they are for you to discover for yourself! Located at the gateway to Wales, the town has long been the ‘capital’ of the English and Welsh Marches and that role is reflected in the 1000 years of architecture you will see on the town’s streets.

And the future is bright for this unique county town. As the economic powerhouse for Shropshire, millions of pounds are being invested in the town’s infrastructure of roads, pavements, services and facilities.

Shrewsbury rivals all the major UK city centres in having the best of both worlds - a comparable retail, cultural, commercial and coffee offer but set within a compact and connected urban centre, without the rat-race temperament and degeneration of city streets.

Underway:

A million pound road and pavement enhancement scheme by Shropshire County Council – generous sponsors of this site

www.shropshire.gov.uk

A million pound wireless connected business centre to serve the thousands of rural entrepreneurs living and working in the rural county and trading with the world.

www.enterprise-hq.co.uk

A riverside theatre to rival the best in the country – over £30million is being invested into the county’s cultural scene.

www.shrewsbury.gov.uk

From open squares and bustling pedestrian boulevards to secret shuts and passages, Shrewsbury is a unique collection of enviable ancient heritage and the finest in contemporary development that will delight and entrance you when you visit.........

50 great things about Shrewsbury

1. River Severn vistas, open parks, sweeping Georgian terraces – AND unique shops

2. There are more shops than Bluewater, which is Europe’s biggest shopping mall [330] and Shrewsbury has 680, with 400 of them independent shops selling everything from designer fashion and hand rolled cigars to Japanese groceries to herbal cures for over-worked mothers!

3. Shrewsbury has more people than Monaco! That ‘sunny state for shady people’ [Somerset Maugham] has just 67,500 people – Shrewsbury – ‘the shady town for sunny people’ Fay Easton] has over 95,000 local residents and was once voted ‘the most polite town in Great Britain’

4. THE FEELING OF SAFETY – paramount in all our lives. The Safer Shrewsbury organisation ensures that police, the council and the businesses work together to make this town one of the safest in the region

5. Shrewsbury is the birthplace and inspiration of Charles Darwin – born in 1809

6. Shrewsbury has an enviable mix of great education - one of the finest public schools in the country - Shrewsbury School and some of the finest results in the country coming from The 6th Form College

7. Great coffee shops of all sorts and sizes - and the best home baked scones in the country

8. Old fashioned pubs

9. The annual Flower Show – Shrewsbury Flower Show has an uninterrupted history of 120 shows in the town centre’s unique Quarry Park. Not to be missed. www.shrewsburyflowershow.org.uk

10. The West Mid Show – every June – a rural show with all the extras

11. Heritage Open Day – a chance to visit some of the town’s unique architectural wonders

12. Our own TOWN CRIER – the tallest and the kindest in the world. We are justly proud of Martin Wood.

13. The Annual Dragon Boat Race organised by fund raisers for our local hospice, bright, sunny people – all.

14. Where else could you get handmade hats & bags? Or handmade suits? You can in Shrewsbury

15. One of the country’s last surviving traditional ‘ironmongers’ – Birch’s – worth the drive to visit this shop!

16. Antiquarian bookshops – several - and, last of a dying breed - an owner operated new bookshop [Pengwern Books] – want advice? You will find it here. In abundance.

17. Tanners Wines - don’t leave town without a visit to the shop which is a visitor attraction in itself – the floors of this family operated wine merchants were made especially for the rolling of casks which arrived in Shrewsbury from all corners of the world

18. The Churches – Shrewsbury has more than 30 churches www.visitchurches.org.uk

19. The breathtaking stained glass in St Mary’s Church

20. The glorious St Chad’s round church

21. The Shrewsbury Chronicle – the town’s award winning and intensely read weekly paper – don’t go home without one!

22. Amazing interior design and ‘lifestyle’ shops

23. The wonderful Victorian railway station is actually in the town centre

24. A stroll in the 23 acre town centre park [The Quarry] is just 5 minutes from the main shopping street

25. The Dingle at the heart of the town park was designed by TV’s first celebrity gardener – Percy Thrower and just gets more breathtaking every year

26. The river that encircles the town – all those wonderful health giving ‘negative ions’ as well as being home to kingfishers, otters and sparrow hawks

27. River cruising on the River Severn – pure and unspoilt magic

28. The boat club and the annual regatta www.pengwernboatclub.com

29. The ‘compactness’ of the town centre – just one quarter square mile with all the shops, cafes and bars you could wish for

30. 6000 parking spaces serving the town centre – no trouble with parking here! The Park and Ride service is second to none in the region

31. The floodlit Castle at night and venue for amazing outdoor productions

32. The elevated views of town from the pedestrian footpaths over at Canonbury and Shrewsbury School – and an energetic Civic Society who point these joys out to us all

33. Galleries to show off the county’s cutting edge contemporary art

34. The incredible range of home properties, 21st century living in a priceless historic setting – a town house with a swimming pool, a steel and glass topped penthouse with outdoor decking or a studio for one – it’s all here. Once you have shopped here – you will want to move in!

35. Famous Links – with royalty, Clive of India, Thomas Telford, Winfred Owen, Benjamin Disraeli – and the setting for the filming of the last version of Dickens’s Christmas Carol

36. The Old Market Hall, Cafe Bar and Cinema – you will never see a film in more comfort or style

37. Chip butties at The Loggerheads!

38. The endless public art – from Charles Darwin seated outside the library to the cutting edge Darwin Gate in Mardol, controversial yes!

39. The great food – being in the centre of a rich and fertile county – local produce served at local restaurants by local people

40. The Market Place – covered market open 5 days a week come rain or shine: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8am to 4pm Thursday - Butchers, Fishmonger and Delicatessen only, 8am to 1pm Saturday 7am to 4pm

41. The library, previously the Shrewsbury School – the endless books and the beautiful building – and its FREE TO TOUR!

42. The secret shuts and passages – a pedestrian delight

43. The Parade in St Mary’s Place – a unique home to the unusual and the fascinating, two floors of amazing shops to find what you didn’t know you needed

44. Shrewsbury’s M&S is the leading store in the region – not bad for a town not a city!

45. The array of fascinating front doors on the town houses

46. The ‘secret gardens’ attached to all those town houses

47. People SMILE in Shrewsbury

48. Europe’s FIRST commercial centre for rural and mobile entrepreneurs operating 21st century businesses – meet up here, email from here or just read the FT here - in the wireless connected, town centre enterprise lounge with tycoon’s kitchen! www.enterprise-hq.co.uk

49. THE FESTIVALS - The Visual Arts, the Performing Arts, Children’s Book Festival, The International Music Festival, The Darwin Festival even a Real Ale Festival! www.visitshrewsbury.com www.virtual-shropshire.co.uk

50. Christmas in Shrewsbury – incomparable – one million square feet of shopping, St Alkmunds Church shoppers and workers services and carol singing in the historic Square with 3,000 locals and all with a ceiling of stars! Beat that!