Beauty spot reopens

Civic leaders have hailed a £2million cash injection and revamp of a Shropshire's beauty spot as "a job well done".

Geoff Elner, mayor of Ellesmere, joined other dignitaries to cut the ribbon at the new visitor centre beside the town's mere yesterday.

Among the new facilities are a newly landscaped mereside area, new visitor centre and shop, refurbished kiosk and enhanced play area.

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A new steamboat powered by vegetable oil has also been added to the attractions and Cremorne Gardens have been restored to their original 19th century design.

The Boathouse restaurant has undergone a complete refurbishment.

It is not currently open due to administrative delays in setting up a "council-operated food outlet".

The project got under way in 2007 and has seen the mere promenade and near by car park fenced off to allow contractors to resurface the footpath and do other work.

A lone protester, Ken Dakin, was at the opening ceremony yesterday to highlight delays in delivering the project and to hand out leaflets claiming the scheme had been mismanaged.

He claimed little had been achieved to improve the facilities beside the mere.

"They haven't really done anything of any real consequence apart from the new footpaths," he said.

In his opening speech Councillor Elner said: "I know that there are a few very skinny ducks and geese around who have missed the attention of the visitors and they will be thankful for all the work to their home environment.

"I am sure that everyone who visits will agree that this has been well worth waiting for."

The cash injection was made possible with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Big Lottery Fund, Shropshire Council, Ellesmere Town Council and Advantage West Midlands among others.

More facilities will open in phases throughout the summer including a hi-tech system dubbed Heron Watch which feeds live pictures of bird life around the mere back to screens in the visitor centre.

Neil Willcox, head of leisure and outdoor recreation at Shropshire Council, said: "Our message is that Ellesmere is even more fantastic than it was before so people should come and visit.

"The town economy will benefit from extra visitors coming in to shop and eat.

"And visiting is free of charge which is great in the current economic climate."

He added that the Boathouse restaurant could be open for business by July.