Traditional market towns need new vision to survive, says Shropshire Council leader

Now Councillor Malcolm Pate has pledged to work with Oswestry Town Council to look at ways of reviving one ailing shopping street. He says two of the county's towns, Bridgnorth and Whitchurch, are already finding ways of re-inventing themselves to stop the rot caused by out-of-town and on-line shopping.

Councillor Pate was in Oswestry yesterday to help officially unveil a piece of art at the Baby Bird Cafe, Cross Street, which a street that has several empty stores. He took time out to walk the length of the street with Oswestry mayor, Councillor Paul Milner.

Earlier this month the unitary authority leader attended a meeting of the town council when he was asked if he could do anything about the state of the stores. Speaking yesterday he said: "If the buildings pose any dangers or risks to the public then I can get officers to ensure that remedial work is undertaken and then the owners will be billed for the work."

But he said there is a longer-term need to look at town centres.

"We have to have a new vision for our county towns. Oswestry is our second biggest, principal town and it is suffering the same as the rest of our market towns from the move to out-of-town and on-line shopping.

"It has to have a new vision for the town centre. There are successes in Shropshire, such as Bridgnorth, which recently won an award, and Whitchurch, which have encouraged independent and niche shops and more coffee shops.

"Charity shops have done well to stop the gap and they are good in moderation, but we have to have a mix to ensure that our towns do not simply become streets full of them."

Oswestry Town Council has written to the owners of at least three of the buildings asking for them to actively market the empty shops. Councillor Pate said: "I have asked one of the council's officers, George Candler, to work with the Oswestry town council on this.

"It is such a shame to see this shopping street with empty shops. Sadly, many market towns are suffering. I had a business in Market Drayton – a town that 20 years ago was thriving. Today it is in desperate need of revitalisation," he said.